Can you describe The Court of the Dead in five words?

Riordan: Percy Jackson’s world turned upside-down.

Oshiro: This is really, really unhinged.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• What books made you want to become authors?
  Riordan: The Lord of the Rings, and, probably, A Wizard of Earthsea. Those were probably my two major touchstones.
  Oshiro: My answer is Stephen King’s It, which I was way too young for, but was so magical in terms of being able to make me feel a wide range of emotions.
• Can you tell us what book you are currently reading?
  Oshiro: I’m reading The River Has Roots by Amal El-Motar. It’s a new novella from one of my close friends, whom I adore, and it’s very good. Very fairytale-like and strange.
  Riordan:  I’m in the middle of reading a thriller in Italian, actually, by Donata Carisi. It’s called Io Sono L’abisso, I Am The Abyss, and it is really, really dark.

What kind of reader do you encourage to pick up this new release?

Oshiro: I would say an adventurous one.

Riordan: I mean, anyone who is familiar with the Percy Jackson world and wants to get back into that world, but also anybody who needs a fun adventure. I think we could all use a break these days, and a chance to get away from reality. I think this book is a good way to do that.

What was the co-writing experience like, and was there any conflict or compromise?

Oshiro: Rick and I both feel very lucky that our writing processes are similar. We wrote a detailed outline of what we wanted in the book, and then wrote the manuscript. Because this was our second outing, the process felt even more in sync. I come from journalism. I don’t have a huge ego around my writing. I’m used to it being edited and being changed, so I don’t  know that we’ve ever had a disagreement. It becomes so convoluted in terms of who wrote what that we often can’t determine who wrote a specific sentence. We both approached this with humility, curiosity, and wanting to write a fun adventure, which meant we were always kind of one-upping each other.

Riordan: I was thinking the closest thing I can compare it to is, like, improvisational jazz. When you just sort of have the general key, and you have the chord patterns, but everything else is kind of up for grabs, you know? It’s like, yeah, that’s awesome, do that again. Okay, all right. I can riff off of that.

What inspired the decision to write this series together?

Riordan: Well, I mean, Nico di Angelo is probably one of the most popular characters among the readership for Percy Jackson. He’s a real touchstone for a lot of readers, and he’s very near and dear to my heart, and of course yes, I’ve written about him before, and I’ve even written from his point of view, but I think the idea of writing an entire novel from his point of view, and based on his relationship with his boyfriend Will Solas, felt like something that I needed help with. I don’t have the context for his life experience; I needed someone with the toolset of emotionality, life experience, and the authenticity that would make readers say, I understand this, I empathize with this, I get this; this feels real to me. I loved Mark’s previous work, and so I was very fortunate that they were open to doing this.

How did you approach interweaving mental health into the story?

Oshiro: I mean, a part of this came from The Sun and the Star, and a lot of Rick’s ideas came from how he wanted to explore Nico’s trauma in that book. So when we were having conversations about The Court of the Dead, a lot of it was, how is this going to look? Especially if you’re now a person whose emotions are hanging around and can affect other people. What does that mean for this character, who has historically hidden their emotions, and now doesn’t have a choice in the matter? So, I think it was twofold, which is, if we’re gonna do this, we need to have it be a big part of the story. Then also, Mr. D, the camp counselor, has been around for a while and has seen a lot of demigods come through, and he has this very unique relationship with Nico and Will. What if we expand that just a little bit more and show this side of the counselor as well? How might things be changing in Camp Half-Blood for other campers? So, yeah, these are all intentional conversations that we had.

Some readers have mentioned that Nico’s voice in The Sun and the Star feels a little bit different compared to when he’s written in The Trials of Apollo, for example. So, I think they’re curious to know, did you revisit that series when you were writing, or did you intentionally approach this perspective differently?

Oshiro: So yes, I did. I read the series twice before I got the call from Rick and from Disney. Then, in the few days before we started the process of auditioning to write for the series, I re-read them all again and took extensive notes, with post-it notes. It’s different when you read the books and you’re reading them as a fan, and then reading them as now making an entry into this canon. We talked about how I would write the first draft, rather than us writing a chapter at a time and sending it back and forth. But, being given the creative freedom to just write the book, I didn’t worry about trying to imitate, necessarily, what a person sounds like in the past. We were like, this is going to be Nico’s own book, which means we’re going to spend more time in his head. Also, time has passed since the trials of Apollo. How has he changed because of that experience? How can the way he talks when we’re in his head also change? Even if I tried to imitate Rick, I think it was always gonna be different. There was no way to make it exactly the same, because I’m a whole different human. I’m curious, Rick, how you felt about that? That’s gotta feel strange, someone’s writing your character?

Riordan:  Oh, no, I love it. I think it’s great. I think there’s a huge range for latitude on what a character sounds like. Have you ever listened to your own voice recorded? I mean, you sound different to yourself, you know, so think about all the range that we have to sound different at different times in our lives, under different circumstances. And a lot of what a person sounds like also has to do with who’s receiving that voice, who’s listening, and when, and how they’re listening. So, I think Nico is very true to Nico. But I agree, I think that the tenor and the tone have sort of evolved, and I think that’s all good.

Did you use AI tools in any part of the writing process for this book? Or have you ever worked with ghostwriters?

Riordan: I’m so old, I wouldn’t even know how to start it. The only thing I know about AI is how to turn it off immediately. Anytime I update a device, that’s the first thing I do. Is there a way to turn this feature off? I mean, I’m sure it will have a place in the world.  But I think creativity is exactly the wrong place to be trying to use that.  If you can’t be bothered to write the book, why would anybody be bothered to read it?

Oshiro: Yeah. I also don’t know how to use it, and I don’t understand it. Part of what made my writing grow over the years is writing badly. You have to do things that don’t work, and you have to write sentences that don’t make sense, or don’t communicate what you’re trying to, so that your brain can figure out what works. If you want to develop your own voice and this distinct voice we were just talking about, you have to be willing to write the stuff that doesn’t work.  I’ve seen people with Percy Jackson tattoos that are quotes from the book, and I’m like, that is magical that a sentence and this stringing of words that you put together has affected someone so deeply.​

What do you hope readers take away from the book?

Oshiro: I hope that the book’s questions about the nature of right and wrong, good and evil, hero and monster, have a lasting impact. I think there are a lot of sometimes uncomfortable scenes where Rick and I were also uncomfortable writing them, thinking about how this even challenges the world of Percy Jackson itself. I love a book that keeps you thinking after you finish it, and so I hope it inspires a lot of thought in our readers.

Riordan: Yeah, I would echo that. I think that’s a beautiful sentiment.

What is next for the two of you? Any plans to continue Nico’s Adventures?

Oshiro: Yeah, we’re both not planners. I get why some creatives are, but we are not generally ones who plan 10 years in advance. A couple of weeks ago, I turned in my next young adult book, which is a horror novel, and I’m very excited, but that’s a year and a half out. Right now, I’m excited about The Court of the Dead finally coming out.

Riordan: There’s no grand plan. We’re making this up as we go along. We wrote the first book because it was just something we were very excited about. The second book came from talking about ideas we thought were so fun that we couldn’t wait to put them down. So, if something like that comes along again. I’m sure we’ll jump on the phone and have that conversation, but it’ll be organic, and it’ll be natural, I hope.

Will you be picking up The Court of the Dead? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro, Co-Authors of ‘The Court of the Dead appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Ever caught yourself daydreaming about trading in your day job for a bullwhip and fedora? Well, you’re in excellent company!

At some point, we’ve all imagined ourselves as the legendary Indiana Jones—plunging into abandoned temples, outwitting cunning booby traps, and liberating priceless treasures from their dusty resting places. But what if we told you that these globetrotting archaeological adventures are just a page-turn away?

Get that iconic fedora ready, because we’ve rounded up the best YA books like Indiana Jones that’ll have you channelling your inner Indy faster than you can say “It belongs in a museum!”

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

Out of all the Indiana Jones-inspired books on this list, Silver in the Bone is the one we’re the most excited about.

In a world steeped in Arthurian legend, Tamsin Lark starts a perilous quest to locate a fabled ring and rescue her cursed brother. With rival sorceresses, deadly secrets, and a race against time, Tamsin must forge unlikely alliances to secure her family’s future in this adrenaline-fueled series opener.

The Last Crusade meets The Last of Us in this YA urban fantasy from the bestselling author of The Darkest Minds and Lore.

FOR FANS OF: Mythology inspired books, complex sibling dynamics, YA books like Tomb Raider

The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder

Pitched as a gender-swapped Sleeping Beauty retelling, The Bone Spindle follows a bookish treasure hunter and an ax-wielding warrior who must join forces to break a century-old curse on a sleeping prince. Dark magic, witch hunters, and bad exes combine in this YA book like Indiana Jones perfect for anyone who loved Cinderella is Dead.

FOR FANS OF: LGBT fairytale retellings, Lara Croft, YA treasure hunting books

Read our book review of The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder for the full scoop.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

It’s Rick Riordan—need we say more? But just in case we actually do…

In The Kane Chronicles, two siblings must unlock their hidden magical powers, battle ancient Egyptian gods, and embark on a globe-trotting adventure to save the world. It mixes Percy Jackson with The Raiders of the Lost Arc for a pyramid-sized twist!

With over 300,000 reviews on Goodreads, it’s safe to say that The Red Pyramid is one of the best Indiana Jones read-alikes on this list.

FOR FANS OF: The Mummy, Egyptian mythology, Percy Jackson, YA archaeology books

Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke

Indiana Jones gets a refresh with this female-driven cryptology adventure, set in the 1920s, full of ciphers, historic relics, and heart-stopping action.

From the author behind Hood comes a YA archaeology book set in the green hills of Dublin, where a reluctant bookseller and her childhood crush must decipher an ancient journal to prevent the resurrection of an evil queen.

FOR FANS OF: Books like National Treasure, novels set in Ireland, Celtic folklore, YA cryptology books.

The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett

Looking for a YA book that’s like Tomb Raider? Meet your next Lara Croft in The Lady Rogue!

When Theodora’s treasure-hunting dream takes a turn for the worst, she must team up with her ex-boyfriend to rescue her missing father and unearth a legendary ring tied to Dracula.

From the author of Always Jane, Chasing Lucky, and Serious Moonlight, comes an action-pulp romance book like Raiders of the Lost Arc set in Gothic Romania.

FOR FANS OF: Dracula, novels set in Romania, second chance romances, Marion Ravenwood

Read our book review of The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennet for the full scoop.

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

In the spellbinding world of 19th-century Paris, a diverse group of talented misfits comes together to infiltrate high society’s glittering façade and unlock ancient secrets. What they find might change the course of history—but only if they can stay alive.

Six of Crows meets Dan Brown in Roshani Chokshi’s beloved historical fantasy series that gives Indy a run for his money.

FOR FANS OF: Novels set in Paris, diverse Indiana Jones books, Ocean’s Eleven

Read our book review of The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi for the full scoop.

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson

Looking for adventure books like Uncharted but with the romance of The Mummy? Join Clio Havel on a research expedition alongside her estranged father as they uncover a sunken treasure off the coast of Italy.

Filled with ancient historical secrets, a budding summer romance, and gripping archaeological mysteries, Maureen Johnson is no doubt the master of thrilling beach reads.

FOR FANS OF: YA treasure hunting books, Nathan Drake, Atlantis

Unearthed by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Lara Croft meets Indiana Jones…IN SPACE.

In this high-octane space opera from the bestselling author duo of The Other Side of the Sky, comes a story of two unlikely explorers who must rely on each other to decipher a distant planet’s secrets. Brace yourself for booby-trapped alien temples, dangerous artifact scavengers, and a sizzling romance.

FOR FANS OF: Doctor Who, YA archaeology books, Aurora Rising, The Mandalorian

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by R.L. LaFevers

Theodosia Throckmorton is far from ordinary—she’s the daughter of a museum curator, entrusted with forgotten Egyptian magic. But when her mother brings back the cursed Heart of Egypt, Theo must harness all her ancient knowledge to prevent a catastrophic war that could crumble the British Empire and threaten her very existence.

FOR FANS OF: Books like The Mummy, Egyptian mythology, Sallah from Raiders of the Lost Arc

Lion’s Legacy by L.C. Rosen

Step aside, Harrison Ford. There’s a new Indiana Jones in town, and his name is Tennessee Russo.

When his life unravels after a painful breakup, seventeen-year-old Tennessee has two choices: wallow in misery or go to Greece with his archaeologist dad. Joining his father’s quest for the Rings of the Sacred Band of Thebes, Tennessee navigates ancient ruins, unravels mysteries, and explores a hidden chapter of queer history.

FOR FANS OF: Queer books like Indiana Jones, Camp, novels set in Greece

Read our book review of Lion’s Legacy by L.C. Rosen for the full scoop.

Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. With mythical creatures, enchanting romance, and exotic locales, this young adult book like Indiana Jones is a treasure trove of pulp-action adventure.

FOR FANS OF: The Temple of Doom, Hindu mythology, paranormal romance

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

Dubbed The Mummy meets Death on the Nile, this lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt is filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.

If you enjoyed Isabel Ibañez’s Together We Burn and Woven in Moonlight, then you’re sure to fall head-over-heels for this upcoming YA book like Indiana Jones.

FOR FANS OF: Rivals-to-lovers romance, Egyptian mythology, Rebecca Ross, Agatha Christie mysteries

BONUS: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Snakes…Why did it have to be snakes?

As we conclude our journey through these Indiana Jones-inspired YA books, one thing becomes clear:

The spirit of exploration and the quest for the unknown are timeless.

So whether you’re running away from a giant boulder or just navigating daily life, these novels remind us that the best treasure can be found within the pages of a good book.

Now over to you:

In the comments, share one young adult book like Indiana Jones from this list that you’ve already read and one that you just added to your TBR!

The post 12 YA Books Like Indiana Jones to Read After Watching The Dial of Destiny appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover just a few of our picks and tell us in the comments below if you’ll be reading any of them!

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.

The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan
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The original heroes from The Lightning Thief are reunited for their biggest challenge yet: getting Percy to college when the gods are standing in his way.

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.

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.

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.

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis
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The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven in this cinematic heist thriller where a cutthroat competition brings together the world’s best thieves and one thief is playing for the highest stakes of all: her mother’s life.

Penance by Eliza Clark
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From the author of the cult hit Boy Parts comes a chilling, brilliantly told story of murder among a group of teenage girls—a powerful and disturbing novel as piercing in its portrait of young women as Emma Cline’s The Girls.

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.

Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner
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A sapphic rivals to lovers rom com for fans of Ted Lasso and A League of Their Own, where two soccer teammates are at odds before falling in love as their team gears up for the World Cup.

The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
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An orphaned fortune teller in 18th-century England searches for answers about her long-dead mother and uncovers shocking secrets in this immersive and atmospheric saga perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry.

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 Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
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A new mystery is afoot in the fourth book in the Thursday Murder Club series from million-copy bestselling author Richard Osman

Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian
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From bestselling author Alex Grecian comes a folk horror epic about a ragtag posse that must track down a witch through a wild west beset by demons and ghosts―and where death is always just around the bend.

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
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Enter a land of gods and monsters, soldiers and mercenaries, secrets and wishes—the explosive #1 internationally bestselling fantasy debut in a new trilogy for fans of The Witcher and Gideon the Ninth.

Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
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From Jennifer L. Armentrout, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of From Blood and Ash, comes the beginning of a searing fantasy romance series for adults, Fall of Ruin and Wrath.

What September releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post September 2023 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

After coming up with book recommendations inspired by Taylor Swift’s folklore in this post, I thought it would be fitting to give evermore a similar treatment since this album is just as imaginative and evocative. These two albums were incredibly poignant and the stories they told easily made me connect them with various books that had similar themes and evoked strong emotions in me just like Swift’s music. Down below are 17 books, one for each of the songs from the deluxe version of evermore, hopefully you will find some new favourites among them.

willow – Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

Willow is a song that reminds me a lot of Percy and Annabeth because it’s mainly about soulmates finding each other and trying to overcome difficulties in order to stay together. Something that I adore about their love story was their devotion to each other—no matter how many creatures they’ve had to face, how many difficult quests and trials, they still made it work (The more that you say, the less I know/Wherever you stray, I follow/I’m begging for you to take my hand/Wreck my plans, that’s my man/Wait for the signal, and I’ll meet you after dark/Show me the places where the others gave you scars).

The marine and mythical motifs also make me think of Percy and Annabeth’s heritages, both of them having godly parents and being warriors (I’m like the water when your ship rolled in that night/Rough on the surface, but you cut through like a knife/As if you were a mythical thing/Like you were a trophy or a champion ring/And there was one prize I’d cheat to win).

champagne problems – The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Many people pointed out the similarities between Little Women and champagne problems, but I can’t attest to that because I haven’t read the second part of the book yet. But when I heard the line “This dorm was once a madhouse”/I made a joke, “Well, it’s made for me”, it instantly made me think of Esther refusing Buddy’s marriage proposal and him telling her she’s crazy for never wanting to marry.

The Bell Jar is a touching tale about mental health, the story focusing on Esther and her desire to write a novel, to be someone special, to achieve great things in life. But as she graduates and completes her internship, she doesn’t feel quite ready to face the real world. The societal pressures to get married, to have an amazing career, it all overwhelms her and her mental health worsens as a consequence (I never was ready so I watch you go/Sometimes you just don’t know the answer/’Til someone’s on their knees and asks you/”She would’ve made such a lovely bride/What a shame she’s fucked in the head,” they said/But you’ll find the real thing instead/She’ll patch up your tapestry that I shred).

gold rush – House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Wharton’s protagonist, Lily Bart, knows the hardships and the advantages of being extraordinarily beautiful. She gets plenty of opportunities to marry rich and escape poverty once and for all due to her looks and charm. But she’s also thrown into horrendous scandals because of the same qualities.

When I listen to gold rush, I imagine this might be how Lawrence Selden sees Lily Bart (Gleaming, twinkling/Eyes like sinking ships on waters/So inviting, I almost jump in/ I don’t like that anyone would die to feel your touch/Everybody wants you/Everybody wonders what it would be like to love you/What must it be like to grow up that beautiful?/With your hair falling into place like dominoes)—a great beauty that he can’t quite stay away from even though he understands that she’s not meant for him, that they wouldn’t fit well together because she has high aspirations of becoming rich and securing her place in the high society while he’s satisfied with a quiet, not-quite-as-shiny life. Their love story is essentially a will-they-won’t-they romance and it fits Swift’s song like a glove (At dinner parties I call you out on your contrarian shit/And the coastal town we wandered round had never seen a love as pure as it/And then it fades into the gray of my day-old tea/’Cause it could never be).

‘tis the damn season – Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

Pumpkinheads is the story of Deja and Josiah who are seasonal best friends. They work together from the beginning of September until the end of October at the same pumpkin patch and they never really interact with each other after Halloween.The book starts with their last year together as they are both going away for college and deals with the nostalgic feelings they have about their friendship, their autumns spent at the patch and everything they did and didn’t. Deja is determined not to let the blues destroy their last night at the patch, so she tries to take Josiah to all the good rides, eat the most delicious sweets and help him talk to the girl he has a crush on.

Their adventure is exciting and will definitely give you happy feelings, you will also root for these two to explore the hidden feelings they harbour for each other (‘Tis the damn season, write this down/I’m stayin’ at my parents’ house/And the road not taken looks real good now/Time flies, messy as the mud on your truck tires/Now I’m missing your smile, hear me out/We could just ride around/And the road not taken looks real good now/And it always leads to you and my hometown). But even though it’s a light book, it’s also filled with wistfulness and homesickness just like Swift’s song (And wonder about the only soul/Who can tell which smiles I’m fakin’/And the heart I know I’m breakin’ is my own).

tolerate it – The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

This is my favourite song off the album, it tells the story of a strained marriage – the wife is very dedicated and loving while the husband just tolerates her. The Penelopiad is a retelling of The Odyssey from the perspective of Penelope, the faithful wife of Odysseus who waited for him to come back from Troy year after year without losing hope in him. Atwood challenges the mythical image of the loyal, patient, and uncomplaining wife and tries to dig deeper into her character showing some unseen sides of her—that she was perhaps bitter, jealous and angry with her husband for his infidelity (I greet you with a battle hero’s welcome/I take your indiscretions all in good fun/I sit and listеn, I polish plates until they gleam and glistеn/You’re so much older and wiser and I).

I also think the relationship between Penelope and Odysseus fits this song so well because they are both incredibly clever, but only Odysseus gets real recognition for his skills while Penelope ends up being known for her dedication rather than her shrewdness. She also has to trick the suitors years upon years, yet Odysseus gets the credit for dealing with them (While you were out building other worlds, where was I?/Where’s that man who’d throw blankets over my barbed wire?/I made you my temple, my mural, my sky/Now I’m begging for footnotes in the story of your life/Drawing hearts in the byline/Always taking up too much space or time/You assume I’m fine, but what would you do if I/Break free and leave us in ruins/Took this dagger in me and removed it/Gain the weight of you, then lose it/Believe me, I could do it). A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes has a very similar vibe and you should definitely check it out!

no body, no crime – The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey

There’s a whole sub-genre dedicated to marriage thrillers and probably most of those books would match Swift’s haunting and very bold song perfectly (off the top of my head, Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train could fit the bill very well). But I believe The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey is the best match for this song. At its heart, this book has a deadly love triangle with a shocking spin to it.

Evelyn’s husband has been cheating on her with her genetically cloned replica (Her husband’s actin’ different, and it smells like infidelity/She says, “That ain’t my Merlot on his mouth/That ain’t my jewelry on our joint account”/ I think he did it, but I just can’t prove it) and now Evelyn doesn’t have to face only the consequences of the affair, but also the fact that her clone had murdered her husband and they now have to cover up the whole thing (Good thing my daddy made me get a boating license when I was fifteen/And I’ve cleaned enough houses to know how to cover up a scene/Good thing his mistress took out a big life insurance policy/They think she did it, but they just can’t prove it/No body, no crime). This is a very thrilling novel that will keep you on the edge until the very end.

happiness – My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

I’ve recently read Ferrante’s highly acclaimed tetralogy and I really adored how gritty the first book is. While it tackles very important themes like violence, poverty, sexism, abusive relationships, at its very core it is about the tumultuous, long-lasting friendship between Elena and Lila (Past the blood and bruise/Past the curses and cries/Beyond the terror in the nightfall/Haunted by the look in my eyes/That would’ve loved you for a lifetime/Leave it all behind/And there is happiness). It’s fascinating to watch these two girls grow up and see how their friendship also changes and matures in time. Their connection is very complex—while they are loyal to each other to a fault, there is also an insidious envy between these two. They are always competing with each other and because of this, end up hurting one another more than once (Tell me, when did your winning smile/Begin to look like a smirk?/When did all our lessons start to look like weapons/Pointed at my deepest hurt?/ I can’t make it go away by making you a villain/I guess it’s the price I paid for seven years in Heaven).

The lyrics in happiness remind me a lot of their struggle to get out of their brutal, very poor neighbourhood and how they find solace into each other even as Elena continues to learn and seemingly has a brilliant future ahead while Lila is forced by her parents to go to work instead and marry young (But now I’m right down in it, all the years I’ve given/Is just shit we’re dividin’ up/Showed you all of my hiding spots/I was dancing when the music stopped/And in the disbelief, I can’t face reinvention/I haven’t met the new me/ There’ll be happiness after you/But there was happiness because of you/Both of these things can be true/There is happiness).

dorothea – Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney

Alice and Eileen were once roommates in Dublin and best friends. Now Alice is a renowned author with numerous awards and accolades, and retreated in a more secluded part of Ireland to get away from fame while Eileen is stuck in her job as a literary assistant at a literary magazine that pays her close to nothing. Despite how different their lives are, they still communicate via long emails about politics, relationships, and the (awful) current state of the world (do you ever stop and think about me?/When we were younger down in the park/Honey, making a lark of the misery/A tiny screen’s the only place I see you now/And I got nothing but well wishes for ya).

Eileen would definitely love to have Alice back in Dublin, by her side (Ooh, this place is the same as it ever was/Ooh, but you won’t like it that way/It’s never too late to come back to my side/The stars in your eyes shined brighter in Tupelo), but she knows that what Alice needs is to be in a place where nobody knows her at least for a little while (Ooh, you’rе a queen sellin’ dreams/And if you’re ever tired of bеing known for who you know/You know that you’ll always know me, Dorothea). As it’s a Rooney book, this is full of uncertainty, miscommunication, feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, and whether anything matters in the end (But are you still the same soul I met under the bleachers?/Ooh, I guess I’ll never know/Ooh, and you’ll go on with the show).

coney island – Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest book tells the story of the vibrant Riva clan – the marriage between June and Mick, the birth of their children, the many affairs, the separations and the reconciliations, and the tragedies that followed. Mick’s dream from the very start is to become a famous musician and give June the life she deserves with a beach house in Malibu and nothing to long for (And do you miss the rogue/Who coaxed you into paradise and left you there?), but as soon as those dreams come true, their relationship becomes to crumble in pieces.

Mick makes his fame and his career his centrefold, forgetting all about his family (And I’m sitting on a bench in Coney Island/Wondering where did my baby go?/The fast times, the bright lights, the merry go/Sorry for not making you my centerfold/The question pounds my head/What’s a lifetime of achievement/If I pushed you to the edge?/But you were too polite to leave me). Their relationship is full of love and they seem completely meant to be, but the mistakes he makes give their love story a bitterness that is oddly familiar to the one described in coney island.

ivy – The Absolutist by John Boyne

Forbidden love, jealousy and betrayal are important themes in this tragic and haunting tale about two soldiers who fall in love while serving the British army in the World War I (How’s one to know?/I’d meet you where the spirit meets the bones/In a faith-forgotten land/In from the snow/Your touch brought forth an incandescent glow/Tarnished but so grand). Tristan and Will have very different outlooks when it comes to war—Tristan is trying to be pragmatic about it and make peace with the fact that there’s not much to do beside fighting and hoping he’d make it out alive (I just sit here and wait/Grieving for the living) while Will is becoming more and more fascinated with pacifistic ideas to the point where he doesn’t want to fight anymore because he thinks the war is completely meaningless (I wish to know/The fatal flaw that makes you long to be/Magnificently cursed).

Besides this, the fact that Will struggles with accepting his sexuality and the constantly hiding gives their relationship this inaccessible and forbidden aura that Taylor Swift is singing about in ivy (What would he do if he found us out?/Crescent moon, coast is clear/Spring breaks loose, but so does fear/He’s gonna burn this house to the ground/How’s one to know?/I’d live and die for moments that we stole/On begged and borrowed time/So tell me to run/Or dare to sit and watch what we’ll become). Even though there’s a lot of anguish and cruel words spoken on both side, these two can’t really stay away from each other (Oh, I can’t/Stop you putting roots in my dreamland/My house of stone, your ivy grows/And now I’m covered in you).

cowboy like me – These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever

These Violent Delights is a thrilling dark academia book, it has it all—twisted love story, crime and plot-twists that you will never see coming. It tells the story of Paul and Julian, two highly intelligent, kind of pretentious and very dark university freshmen. They become friends after discovering they have very similar ideas on research ethics and afterwards, they keep borrowing books from each other and discussing philosophy, literature and more. Their intellectual friendship soon evolves into obsessive love and the drama gets more and more explosive after Julian’s very rich family comes into the picture as well (Oh, I thought/This is gonna be one of those things/Now I know/I’m never gonna love again/Perched in the dark/Telling all the rich folks anything they wanna hear/Like it could be love/I could be the way forward/Only if they pay for it/You’re a bandit like me/I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve/Takes one to know one/You’re a cowboy like me/Never wanted love/Just a fancy car).

Paul’s constant self-loathing and the way he worships Julian makes their relationship feel suffocating for both of them. So, they have to do something to keep things working between them, something that will unite them forever. What they are going to come up with will definitely shock you (Never thought I’d meet you here/It could be love/We could be the way forward/And I know I’ll pay for it/And the skeletons in both our closets/Plotted hard to fuck this up/And the old men that I’ve swindled/Really did believe I was the one/And the ladies lunching have their stories about/When you passed through town/But that was all before I locked it down).

long story short – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

I had a hard time coming up with a book for long story short because it seemed to allude to finding the right one after being through absolute hell and I couldn’t settle on one book to illustrate that theme. After much reflecting, I realised it reminds me a lot of June and Nick from The Handmaid’s Tale. June or Offred is a Handmaid in Gilead, a dystopian society where fertility rates have been going down and the regime decided to eradicate women’s rights and separate them in categories (wives, daughters, aunts, handmaids, unwomen, Marthas) with distinct roles.

Handmaids are an asset to the government only while they are fertile as their sole purpose is to give birth. On her third assignment as a Handmaid, June meets Nick who works as a driver for the Commander she’s been assigned to and they find solace and mutual understanding in each other. They are both trying to make the most out of their situations, rebelling in their own ways against a dystopian world that is very hard to escape from (Fatefully/I tried to pick my battles ’til the battle picked me/Misery/Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep/And you passed right by/I was in the alley, surrounded on all sides/The knife cuts both ways/If the shoe fits, walk in it ’til your high heels break/Long story short, I survived). Their love story is all about finding comfort in a kindred soul who can make you forget, at least temporary, about the chaos in your world (And he’s passing by/Rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky/And he feels like home).

marjorie – Jane: A Murder by Maggie Nelson

Nelson’s Jane is a real story told in verse about the murder of her aunt who was just a student at the University of Michigan when it all happened. The author is trying to navigate both her grief and her family’s despair through the years as the search for the murderer hit a wall again and again. What’s interesting is that Nelson’s been told all her life that she’s very similar to her aunt, and as she starts to dig through Jane’s poems, correspondence, she gets a strange feeling of recognition even though her aunt was murdered a year before her birth (What died didn’t stay dead/What died didn’t stay dead/You’re alive, you’re alive in my head/ All your closets of backlogged dreams/And how you left them all to me). This is a hard-hitting read, very emotional, and definitely captures the grief that is so present in marjorie, but also those tender feelings of total admiration and longing for a loved person who is gone. 

closure – The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

This tragic story is closure on steroids, basically. As the title suggests, this book is about an affair that has come to an end which is very befitting of Swift’s song. Maurice thinks he has no tender feelings left for Sarah after they separated because of his jealousy and her refusal to divorce her husband. When Maurice meets Henry, Sarah’s husband, by chance and finds out that she might be seeing someone else, his jealousy is reignited and he soon discovers that the love or obsession he had for her might still be present. He attempts to find out whether Sarah still has feelings for him, but she maintains her position that they should stay apart despite the evident turmoil she’s going through (It’s been a long time/And seeing the shape of your name/Still spells out pain/It wasn’t right/The way it all went down/Looks like you know that now/ I know I’m just a wrinkle in your new life/Staying friends would iron it out so nice/Guilty, guilty, reaching out across the sea/That you put between you and me/But it’s fake and it’s oh so unnecessary).

There are so many twists and turns even though the story seems old as time on the first glance and Greene’s writing is incredibly powerful and beautiful (Don’t treat me like/Some situation that needs to be handled/I’m fine with my spite/And my tears, and my beers and my candles/I can feel you smoothing me over).

evermore – If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

This is the first Baldwin that I’ve read, but definitely not the last because he’s incredible and so masterful at writing poignant and emotional stories. If Beale Street Could Talk focuses on Tish and Fonny who are having a baby and want to get married when Fonny is falsely accused of rape and then imprisoned (Gray November/I’ve been down since July/Motion capture/Put me in a bad light/I replay my footsteps on each stepping stone/Trying to find the one where I went wrong/Writing letters). Tish and their families start to militate for his release, try to do anything possible to convince the jury that a racist policeman had set Fonny up for it and that the real culprit is free.

The similarities between book and song reside especially in how well they capture those opposite feelings of desperation and uselessness on one side (Hey December/Guess I’m feeling unmoored/Can’t remember/What I used to fight for/I rewind thе tape, but all it does is pause/On thе very moment all was lost/Sending signals) and then, hope and commitment on the other side that are very representative for the way Tish fights for Fonny, but also has moments when she feels like she can’t do it anymore—the pregnancy and this fight for justice, and she gets down and hopeless about the possibility of a future without Fonny in her life (Can’t not think of all the cost/And the things that will be lost/Oh, can we just get a pause?/To be certain, we’ll be tall again).

This is a hard-hitting story about love, devotion, and racism—it’s one of the most beautiful and saddest love stories I’ve ever read (And when I was shipwrecked/I thought of you/In the cracks of light/I dreamed of you/It was real enough/To get me through).

right where you left me – Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan

When Nolan’s unnamed narrator meets Ciaran at a gallery event, she instantly falls in love with him. She’s intrigued by his beauty and the way he carries himself with such ease, like he’s completely unaffected by his surroundings. She likes how cold he is and how much she has to work for his affection, his touch, everything. Their relationship is tumultuous and they break up, get back together, cheat on each other—it’s such a mess that the readers will invariably ask themselves how these two are still together. Even the narrator admits that their relationship is abusive, that if she had more self-esteem, she would give Ciaran up, but it takes very long for her to break it off once and for all and start her journey of healing and that’s mostly because of how directionless she feels after their break-ups (Help, I’m still at the restaurant/Still sitting in a corner I haunt/Cross-legged in the dim light/They say, “What a sad sight”/I, I swear you could hear a hair pin drop/Right when I felt the moment stop/Glass shattered on the white cloth/Everybody moved on, I, I stayed there/Dust collected on my pinned-up hair/They expected me to find somewhere/Some perspective, but I sat and stared/Right where you left me).

Ciaran is very handsome and all of her friends think so, way out of her league, and considering she has a dead-end job and nothing interesting going on for herself, Ciaran seems to be the only thing that matters in her life, that sets her apart (Did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen?/Time went on for everybody else, she won’t know it/She’s still twenty-three inside her fantasy/How it was supposed to be/Did you hear about the girl who lives in delusion?/Breakups happen every day, you don’t have to lose it). A hard-hitting story about abuse, toxic relationships – the monologues are so well written that you won’t be able to put this down.

it’s time to go – The Project by Courtney Summers

This haunting song reminded me a lot of Courtney Summers’ latest release that focuses on the way a cult destroys the relationship between sisters. After their parents die in a car accident, Bea is the one who’s supposed to pick up the broken pieces and look for her younger sister, Lo, who’s gravely injured in the hospital. The fear that Bea will lose her sister as well and the pressure to be a grown-up all the sudden must have been too much for her as we find out that she left Lo and joined a cult (When the words of a sister come back in whispers/That prove she was not in fact what she seemed/Not a twin from your dreams/ That old familiar body ache/The snaps from the same little breaks in your soul).

As the years pass, Lo tries to connect with her sister and convince her to come back home, but it’s to no prevail and that intrigues her in a way. It makes her wonder what is so special about Lev’s charm and beliefs that he has her sister wrapped around his little finger. This is a fascinating look into cults, what it takes to join a cult and even more, to leave one (Fifteen years, fifteen million tears/Begging ’til my knees bled/I gave it my all, he gave me nothing at all/Then wondered why I left/Now he sits on his throne in his palace of bones/Praying to his greed/He’s got my past frozen behind glass/But I’ve got me/Sometimes to run is the brave thing/Sometimes walking out is the one thing/That will find you the right thing).

What recommendations do you have? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Book Recommendations Based On Taylor Swift’s ‘Evermore’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunters Chronicles is beloved by many and once you’re done reading the latest instalment, you might be looking for some other books and series to read. The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, and The Dark Artifices series take part in the Shadowhunter world, but each series follows a different set of characters while also being set in different time periods. We’ve rounded up a couple of suggestions based on each!

THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS

This is Cassandra Clare’s first series and the one that first introduced us to the Shadowhunter world! This series is all about Clary Fairchild as she is introduced to a whole new side of the world where ‘all the stories are true’. Clary learns that she is half angel, which makes her a demon hunter! Clary and her friends all deal with relationships, villains, and everything else in between.

The Vampire Academy and its spin-off Bloodlines also have a big set of characters, lots of drama, forbidden romances and very swoonworthy characters. It follows Rose Hathaway, the protector of Lissa Dragomir who is a vampire. Rose starts developing feelings for an older guardian and they are faced with a greater enemy. Bloodlines follows Sydney Sage who is an Alchemist. She has been brought up believing that vampires are evil, but when she is sent to protect the princess, she discovers that there is more to these ‘evil’ vampires. 

Maximum Ride is all about six kids who have wings and can fly, plus they all also have other powers. However, they don’t know what these powers mean and they are on the run. These books are perfect for fans of TMI as they also revolve around teens with magical abilities, There is plenty of drama, a fight for justice and some badass characters.

The Lunar Chronicles is ideal to read after TMI. These books are sci-fi fairytale retellings set in the future with each book being a different retelling, such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White. The first book in the series is about Cinder who is a cyborg and her stepmother treats her horribly, but when she meets Prince Kai, her life gets even more complicated. The Lunar Chronicles are perfect for fans of TMI as they also have badass characters, great humour, and a group of teens fighting to save their world.

THE INFERNAL DEVICES

The Infernal Devices is Cassandra Clare’s second published series, but chronologically, it occurs before The Mortal Instruments. This series is set in 1878 and follows Tessa Grey as she travels from America to London. Tessa is trying to find her brother, but she meets Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs at the London Institute. This book is less action packed and diverse than TMI, but it reads like a beautiful historical fiction and has romances to cry and scream over.

The Doon series by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon is perfect for fans of TID as it is set in Scotland and all about two girls from America who travel to the magical town called Doon. Vee and Kenna were just meant to explore Scotland, but they are transported to a quaint town and it is there that they meet the princes and want to stay in Doon, but there are secrets hidden in Doon and are the girls ready to give up everything they know to stay?

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is all about Karou, a girl with blue hair and able to speak all languages including ones that are not human at all. When black handprints start turning up around Prague, Karou must try to save the world she knows and she also has to figure out what the mysterious Akiva wants. This is a story about devils, angels, and everything in between.

A Darker Shade of Magic is set in London, Kell is one of the last Antari and he can travel between parallel Londons. Kell is a smuggler, but he officially works for the Maresch Empire in Red London. But when he meets Lila Bard, his plans change and they both need to fight to stay alive. This book is also set in London, just like TID, and has a great set of characters and magic that will leave you in awe.

THE DARK ARTIFICES

The Dark Artifices takes place a few years after The Mortal Instruments and follows Emma Carstairs and her parabatai Julian Blackthorn. Their lives have been destroyed by the war and they are fighting for a new normal. They discover a demon plot in Los Angeles and Julian’s half brother, who has been living in faerie, suddenly turns up.

Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus is perfect if you love The Dark Artifices (TDA) as it has a beachy feel, a great set of unique characters, and lots of drama. Percy Jackson is all about Percy and he’s a demi-god who is still trying to figure everything out. This series will make you laugh out loud and you will learn lots about Greek mythology. The Heroes of Olympus series is a spin-off from Percy Jackson as it follows new characters who are a bit older and there’s always a lot going on!

 

Six of Crows is all about six teenagers who set out to pull off a near impossible heist. This book is perfect for TDA fans as it has great characters, an amazing plot, and it will have you frantically flicking to the next page.

 

The Falconer is great for fans of TDA and TID and it follows Aileana who is a fairy hunter. This book takes place in 1844 Edinburgh and combines Scottish folklore with lots of drama. If you love the fairy aspect in TDA and love the setting/time period of TID, this series is perfect for you.

 

What is your favourite Cassandra Clare series? Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 9 Book Series To Read Based On Your Favourite Shadowhunters Series appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Everyone always needs a light, fluffy, funny, and enjoyable book every now and then, so we have compiled a list of some incredibly heartwarming, funny, and feel good books. Let’s start off with some feel good fantasy books!

Fantasy

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson will make you laugh out loud. Percy is a demigod, has no idea what he is doing, and he attends Camp Half Blood where he meets teens just like him. Percy is sassy, sarcastic, and awkward, plus this one is getting a Disney+ adaptation so you have that to look forward to after finishing the book!

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows
Who doesn’t want to read a retelling of history? This book is based on the real monarch Lady Jean Grey, but takes some artistic liberties to give you a hilarious historical retelling. With characters turning into animals and witty banter, this book will have you giggling the entire way through.

Doon by Lorie Langdon & Carey Corp
This book is about two teen girls who take a vacation in Scotland and then travel to a small, magical village. The story is based on the musical Brigadoon, but it will make you want to travel to Scotland and find Doon. It has very relatable and funny characters and romances to swoon over. This book is great for people who loved Royals by Rachel Hawkins and/or Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
This is a story that is filled with such magic and warmth. In case you somehow don’t know what this one is about, it follows Harry Potter who learns he is a wizard and goes to a magical boarding school. This book is all about friendship and will fill your heart with love and you will want to pack your bags and attend Hogwarts once you’re done.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
If you’re looking for a fun vampire series, this is for you! This book is filled with badass characters, a great storyline, and characters to root for. Vampire Academy has plenty of sass and moments that will make you laugh out loud. This book is about Rose who is the protector of her best friend, who just happens to be a vampire, and we follow these two at a boarding school and what happens when romance comes into play.

Contemporaries

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Simon is so fluffy and sweet! Simon Spier (the protagonist) is a very relatable nerdy character and this book is all about him coming out and how he connects with someone over email. The catch is he doesn’t know who he’s emailing and when will all these secrets become too much?

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
This is a graphic novel and a very short read, but this one will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. The story is all about two boys in England and how their friendship grows into something more. Charlie and Nick are both precious and you will want to wrap them both up in bubble wrap after reading this one and you will also want to curl up and watch movies with all of these characters.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Although this is a children’s book, it is a great book! Wonder follows August who has a facial difference and when he starts school, he has to deal with how people react. It will have you smiling through happy tears and you will be reminded about the innocence and purity of children. You will also see that humanity is not doomed and that children love so fiercely and will protect each other. 

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is a fluffy YA romance story, but it’s filled with romantic letters, great siblings, and just all around cuteness. This book follows Lara Jean and what ensues when all her love letters are sent out to their recipients. What follows is a fake relationship that could turn into more and lots and lots of drama. Once you’re done, you can also watch the Netflix film and it’s sequel!

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
This is an adult contemporary and will have you awwing out loud. Henry (the Prince of England) and Alex (America’s first son) have a long held rivalry, but what happens when their dislike grows into something else? This book is filled with great political discussions and a romance to scream about.

My Faire Lady by Laura Wetterstern
This book follows Rowena and how her summer job at the Renaissance fair is filled with romance and lots of medieval drama. This is an easy and cheesy contemporary, but it’s filled with some great romance and funny moments.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
This book is filled with a sweet romance, a Twitter war, and lots of baking. Pepper and Jack are rivals and start a heated Twitter war, but they also start falling for each other over an anonymous app. This book will make you laugh out loud and you will squeal at all the pop culture references. 

Classics & Poetry

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables is a classic, which follows orphan Anne and her life on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Anne has a big imagination and a heart overflowing with love. This book has gorgeous nature descriptions and characters to fill your heart.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
This is a really sweet book with beautiful illustrations, which follows a little boy who travels around the universe and learns about adults and the world. It’s a really short read but will fill your heart with some warmth and love.

Fierce Fairytales by Nikita Gill
This poetry collection is filled with inspiring retellings of fairy tales. If you ever need a pep talk, this book will make you want to kick some butt and change the world.

The Princess Saves Herself In This One by Amanda Lovelace
This is another great feminist read which will make you pump your fist in the air and grin from ear to ear!

Hopefully one of these books will put a smile on your face. All of these books are magical in their own way.

What are some of your favourite feel good books? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 16 Feel Good Fictional Books To Read appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

20^th Century Fox has turned the first two volumes of the Percy Jackson series into movies, which released in 2010 and 2013, but most of the fans weren’t happy with the adaptation because they did not stay close to the books. However, I think it does not hurt to watch them. Personally, I have watched them at least a dozen of times and still highly appreciate them!

With that said, Disney announced on May 14th that Percy will get another chance to show us his magical world with a television adaptation on Disney+. So, if you want to refresh your knowledge about Greek gods and the adventures of Percy and his friends, now is the time to do so! Or perhaps if you or someone you know is intrigued, let’s explore the books a little! Be warned however, there are a few spoilers ahead!

Riordan, who wanted to be a guitarist, studied English and History, which led him to be a teacher for eight years. The idea behind his best-selling series came from when Riordan started creating bedtime stories for his older son, who was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. He wanted to show his son that he can be destined for great things and crafted a protagonist with the same disabilities: Percy Jackson.

What is Percy Jackson about?

1. The Lightning Thief (2005)
2. The Sea of Monsters (2006)
3. The Titan’s Curse (2007)
4. The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008)
5. The Last Olympian (2009)

There are five books in the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, along with some companion novels such as The Demigod Files and The Demigod Diaries, which give you further inside peeks into the world.

Percy finds out that he is a demigod when he and his mother are on their way to their cabin and have been attacked by a Minotaur in which his mother dies. Percy arrives at Camp Half-Blood where his best friend Grover tells him, that he is a Satyr and that Percy’s father is the Greek god Poseidon. He does not have time to process all the new information because Zeus is after him, accusing him of stealing his lightning bolt. Percy has just a couple of days to prove his innocence and confront Hades, who seems to be the real thief. Percy and Grover are accompanied by Annabeth, daughter of Athena, who just wanted to leave the camp and put her training to the test at first, but soon becomes close friends.

The second book is about saving Thalia’s tree, which holds up the borders of the camp. Percy and his friends have to retrieve the Golden Fleece and cross the sea of monsters to get to it, all the while there is a prophecy looming above his head, saying that the oldest son of the old gods will end the Olympians. Since there is no other child of the three main gods, it must be Percy.

In the third instalment, Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and the rescued and living Thalia go on a rescue mission for the siblings Bianca and Nico, both children of Hades. During their mission, they cross path with the goddess Artemis and their Hunters, who later gets captured by Luke, son of Hermes. She was forced to hold up the sky and take over from Atlas. Percy succeeds in tricking Atlas to do his job again and Thalia becomes one of Artemis’s Huntresses to escape the Prophecy, leaving Percy to be the only child of the big three again.

In The Battle of the Labyrinth, the fourth book in the series, Annabeth, Grover, Percy, and his half-brother Tyson (whom is a cyclops and was introduced in the second book) have to find Daedalus’s workshop and still have to fight against Luke’s army.

In the last book of the series, our beloved heroes prepare themselves for the Battle of Manhattan to defeat Kronos as Luke was able to finally raise him from Tartarus. From the first book on, Luke’s goal is to overthrow the Olympians and make space for his generation to take over, thinking he can do it with Kronos’s help. At the end of the book, the original Prophecy is fulfilled and a new one follows about seven half-bloods who “shall answer the call”.

The new prophecy is what the spin-off series Heroes of Olympus is about. Introducing some new characters while keeping a spot for the already well-known ones, it also introduces you to the Roman opposites, Camp Jupiter, and that the gods we already know are the same for the Roman half-bloods.

1. The Lost Hero (2010)
2. The Son of Neptune (2011)
3. The Mark of Athena (2012)
4. The House of Hades (2013)
5. The Blood of Olympus (2014)

And if you cannot get enough of this world, do not feel blue just yet, because Riordan has written another spin-off, The Trials of Apollo, about the god Apollo who has been thrown out of Olympus to fulfil some quest to prove himself once again.

1. The Hidden Oracle (2016)
2. The Dark Prophecy (2017)
3. The Burning Maze (2018)
4. The Tyrant’s Tomb (2019)
5. The Tower of Nero (upcoming in 2020)

What makes these books so adored by its readers are the perfect imperfect characters for one. For once, readers have a hero who at first does not look like he has it in himself. Perfect is not the norm. We are all imperfect and can achieve great things.

Then, you have a great amount of friendship. You sure can do anything by yourself, but you should not if you are lucky enough to have such good friends as Percy has. This is what made me love these books so much. Mostly you have an epic love story in the centre of a book which is nice, but true friendship is what I really want to read about!

Percy Jackson is a fun read for every age and provides you an easy way into a take on Greek mythology. If the story alone is not enough to convince you to read every single book, then look at all of the gorgeous book covers!

And if you cannot get enough of Riordan, then you can educate yourself about the Egyptian gods in The Kane Chronicles and about the Nordic gods in Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard.

Have you read any of Riordan’s books? Will you be checking them out? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Dive Into Rick Riordan’s Incredibly Crafted Novels appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

On May 14th, Rick Riordan posted a video of himself and his wife Becky across his various social media accounts announcing a live-action series based on the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians pentalogy, beginning with The Lightning Thief in season one.

The books revolve around a twelve-year-old boy named Percy, who suddenly starts getting attacked by monsters straight out of Greek mythology. He comes to know that he’s actually a demigod, and his father is a Greek god. In a turn of events, Percy ends up going on a perilous quest to retrieve Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt.

The first and the second books have previously been turned into movies produced by 20th Century Fox, but they weren’t received well by the fans and both of them underperformed at the box office too. Around 2015, Brazilian Percy Jackson fans started campaigning on social media for the series to be adapted to the screen once again. Over the years, fans from around the world showed a lot of enthusiasm and made #DisneyAdaptPercyJackson popular to the point where they got it trending on Twitter without any prompting whatsoever in December 2019.

When Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and got the rights to Percy Jackson in the process, another adaptation became very plausible, and a few of Riordan’s tweets from December 2019 indicated that he was in talks with Disney executives. It’s evident that millions of fans and the author himself put a lot of effort into making this dream into a reality, and it all paid off!

Riordan assures Percy Jackson fans that this time both he and his wife are going to be intimately involved in the making of the show, and Riordan’s tweet from May 16th suggests that he might even be writing the script!

Meanwhile, the fifth and final book in the third Camp Half-Blood Chronicles series- The Trials of Apollo, comes out in September 2020. In a blog post in April, Riordan also mentioned writing an Irish mythology inspired book next!

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

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The Storm Runner by J. C. Cervantes
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Complete with a prophecy, a quest to save the world, plenty of monsters, supernaturals, demigods, and negligent godly parents, The Storm Runner is an absolute treat! (Fun fact: the Maya have a goddess of chocolate called IxCacao who makes an appearance in the book!)

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
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It’s no news that Rick Riordan is the king of this particular genre as Percy Jackson and the Olympians is the reason most of us learned about Greek mythology after all,  so of course this list features his books. The Magnus Chase series is his take on the vast world of Norse mythology; all three of these books are hilarious and keep you hooked from the first page to the last, include a diverse set of characters, and in typical Riordan fashion, they also carry some very important messages and make you think.

Circe by Madeline Miller
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Circe is mesmerising and devastating at once. It’s above all a story of a woman who learns to claim the power wrongly taken from her. Circe is a glorious heroine, and Miller’s captivating storytelling gives her the ballad she deserves.

A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi
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Technically a companion novel to Chokshi’s The Star-Touched Queen, this can be          read as a standalone. Chokshi is a uniquely talented author; her lush, immersive prose and her intricate and vivid worldbuilding transport the reader into the world of her creation right from the beginning. The characters are flawed and lovable, the romance is well developed and convincing. In conclusion, read it!

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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Maya mythology merged with a Hades/Persephone-esque love story set in the Jazz Age, need anything more be said?

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia 
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Mbalia weaves West African and African-American legends together in a brilliant and wholesome way in his debut novel. Tristan is one of those unique protagonists who wanted nothing to do with valour and yet learned to be a hero the hard way; he is going to stay in your heart for a long time.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
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The Kane Chronicles has diverse characters, Egyptian gods and goddesses, an albino crocodile, a weird cat named Muffin, creatures made of clay who can wreak havoc, a secret magical society, and a baboon who’s a basketball champion and only eats food that ends in -o! Just go ahead and read these books, you know you want to.

The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta
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Steeped in gorgeous Bengali folklores, The Serpent’s Secret consists of an all Indian cast and portrays Bengali culture (and Indian culture in general) remarkably well. DasGupta gives her protagonist a strong voice, making this an empowering book for brown kids and adults around the world.

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
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A Native American urban fantasy in a dystopian setting, Trail of Lightning is a delicious crossover of the fantasy fiction and science fiction genres that will compel you to finish the whole book in one sitting.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F. C. Yee
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Yee’s flowy storytelling seamlessly blends Chinese folklore into a contemporary setting in this action packed adventure story. Also, the romance involves well fleshed out characters who truly make a power couple!

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 10 Fantastic Mythology-Inspired Books appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Being fascinated by mythology while growing up means a part of you will always be drawn back into those enigmatic worlds. Mythology retellings have been the greatest way for me to revisit those characters and see them from so many different perspectives. In a way, retellings have given voices and depth to forgotten or supporting characters that had appeared in mythology

For me, I am grateful for retellings because they’ve been a great remedy to the problematic representation of women in mythology. For example, Circe, who played a small part in The Odyssey and was mostly perceived as a negative character, received a brilliant spin in Madeline Miller’s retelling where her actions and motivations were explained and she was definitely humanised by the end of the book. She became a three-dimensional character whose entire existence couldn’t be summarised as a challenge to the male protagonist anymore. She was her own character and her actions definitely made more sense.

Now if you’re as passionate as I am about mythology and want to see these beloved stories in a different light, then my recommendations will definitely be up your alley!

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
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Penelope is well known in mythology as the faithful wife, the one who waited for Odysseus to come home while keeping the suitors from taking everything she had. Margaret Atwood gives a voice not only to Penelope, but also to the twelve handmaidens that were hanged by Odysseus. She definitely offers a different spin to the myth as during the Odyssey, I have always thought of Penelope and Odysseus as a power couple if you will, yet in this book you become easily more focused on Penelope’s wit and her tribulations as she waited for her husband to return. Her feelings become more apparent and it definitely seems more realistic than Homer’s account where there is no anger, no resentment, just happiness at seeing her husband back home.

Galatea by Madeline Miller
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Galatea is definitely one of the less known works of Miller which is a real shame because her writing is as exceptional as always and the original myth is one of the most complex ones out there in my opinion. This tale of a skilled sculptor who’s rewarded for his abilities by having one of his sculptures (the most beautiful woman) become real has so many feminist sub-themes, discusses idealistic love, and it’s so clever in the way it works around Galatea’s character. It’s definitely a must-read!

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
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If you’re very knowledgeable in Greek Mythology and now want to get a bit more familiar with Norse Mythology, but don’t know where to start, I believe this one might be a great fit for you! The tales are filled with wit, they introduce you to every character from the sneaky Loki to the almighty Thor, and I think they are targeted especially to those who haven’t read those legends before. Gaiman presents the basics, his material isn’t heavy like some other general mythology books and that’s why the book can be perfect for both newcomers and the ones who want to rediscover the Norse tales told in Gaiman’s playful tone.

Outrun The Wind by Elizabeth Tammi
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This book deserves a spot on this list of recommendations solely for the reason that it focuses on Atalanta, a legendary huntress best known for organising races for her suitors and only the man who could beat her in a race could become her husband. Outrun The Wind has an interesting addition in the form of Kahina, who is the other main protagonist, a huntress of Artemis, and who clashes with Atalanta because of their too similar personalities. Recommended especially for those who like hate-to-love romances that are also slow-burns.

The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer
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Have you always been intrigued by the story of Hades and Persephone? Then maybe you want to try this retelling in which Hades is a woman and Zeus gets what he deserves while still keeping the best themes from the original myth. The romance is well-developed in this one and Persephone grows so much during this book, we see her go from a sheltered, inexperienced girl to a confident woman who knows exactly what her strengths are.

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a fan favourite amongst mythology nerds and for a good reason. The plot revolves around Camp Half-Blood which is a place devised to keep the demigods safe from all the monsters that roam around and are trying to kill them. Even if it’s a Middle Grade book, I believe it’s suitable for all ages as the plotlines are very thrilling and you will root for Percy Jackson and his friends from the beginning to the very end.

Circe by Madeline Miller
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I believe what Madeline Miller did with this book is astounding considering the material she had to work with. There are very few mentions of Circe in mythology, very few clues about her personality and her motivation, yet Miller managed to work with and build around these aspects. She crafted this godly character that is so in touch with her humanity and humility, Circe finds strength and resilience in her vulnerability. She has a quiet kind of power that is admirable and definitely amazing to read about.

Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe
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Another (modern this time) retelling of the Persephone and Hades myth that you can read for free on WEBTOON, which is ongoing and updated weekly. You will surely be delighted by the beautiful illustrations and the great plot that has been progressing very well. Persephone’s journey is so easy to identify with as she gets her first job, tries to keep her feelings for Hades hidden and subdued because he’s in a relationship, and struggles with her life in the city after being sheltered by her mother for most of her life.

The Faust Act (The Wicked + The Divine (Collected Editions) #1) by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie (Illustrations), Matt Wilson (Colorist), Clayton Cowles
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The Faust Act is another graphic novel that is inspired by mythology, yet another one where you will fall in love irremediably with the stunning illustrations. This represents the gods as pop stars that keep reincarnating and offers a great discourse into our fan and celebrities cultures. This graphic novel has a diverse cast, the characters’ personalities are also so vibrant, and they are all very interesting to read about.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
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The Song of Achilles is probably one of the most famous retellings, therefore it doesn’t need much of a description because most bookworms out there have at least heard of it. But in case you haven’t read it yet, you should definitely give it a try because it is such a raw, emotional and heart-breaking look into Troy and Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship.

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

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