Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Robin Talley’s Everything Glittered, which is out September 24th 2024.

It’s 1927 and the strict laws of prohibition have done little to temper the roaring 20s nightlife, even in the nation’s capitol. Everyone knows the booze has never stopped flowing, especially amongst the rich and powerful, and seventeen-year-old Gertrude and her best friends Clara and Milly are determined to get a taste of freedom and liquor, propriety be damned.

But after sneaking out of the Washington Female Seminary to visit a speakeasy, they return to discover that their controversial young headmistress, Mrs. Rose, has been murdered.

Reeling from the death of her beloved mentor, Gertrude enlists her friends in her quest to clear Mrs. Rose’s reputation, while trying to keep her own intact. But in Prohibition Washington, it’s difficult to sidestep grifters, bootleggers, and shady federal agents when investigating a murder. And with all the secrets being uncovered, Gertrude is finding it harder and harder to keep her attraction to her best friends hidden.

A proper, upscale life is all Gertrude has ever known, but murder sure makes a gal wonder: is all that glitters really gold?

Chapter 5

The cold hits me first, even before my fingers feel the strain from clinging to the ledge. My coat is sturdy wool and trimmed in fur, but my legs are clad only in sheer stockings, and the wind is whipping past, finding every inch of vulnerable skin. I lower my chin into the chill as Milly clambers out awkwardly alongside me.

Crack.

The sound only lasts an instant, and my face is still clenched against the chill when I realize my best friend’s elbow has just slammed into my nose. That’s when the pain comes, too.

I twist into the wind and grit my teeth to quiet the scream bubbling in my throat. Anyone could’ve heard that crack.

When I risk a glance behind me, Milly’s gotten a tighter grip on the ledge outside our dorm room window and her elbows are folded back in front of her where they belong. I’m glad she didn’t fall, but my throbbing nose is less certain of its opinion. I want to rub the soreness from it, but we’re two stories off the ground and both of my hands are busy clinging to the ledge alongside her.

I crane my neck to look down at the street below. I don’t see anyone. Haven’t heard any shouts, either.

We haven’t been caught. Yet.

“Watch it!” I whisper-hiss, my frozen toes digging into the recess in the cold brick wall.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” Milly whisper-hisses back, her crystal headpiece still somehow pinned neatly over her hair. Milly always stands at the height of fashion, even when hanging off the side of a building. “I didn’t mean to!”

Then she lets out a soft giggle. A second later, I do the same.

Tonight, I’ll ignore the ache in my nose, and the chill that’s biting through my stockings and turning my fingers blue.

Milly dips her chin to peer at the windows on the faculty hall and gives me a confident nod.

Time to let go.

The old library is dark and curtained, the party over and the mess tucked away, but the balcony outside it will be as hard, rough, and cold as ever. If we land wrong, we could break a kneecap or crack our heads on the coarse balcony floor. But now that I’m here, hanging in the wind, suddenly, I’m not afraid anymore. In fact, I wouldn’t mind if our window ledge were a foot or so higher.

We’re not cloistered into our finishing school walls any longer. Out here, the world is wide open all around us. The cold air swells with possibility.

I let go of the ledge and land, too quickly, on my feet, my toes in their stockings curling back to cushion the blow. Before I can straighten to my full height, a thunk sounds beside me. When I turn, Milly’s sprawled out on her heinie, her skirt up past her knees, her crystal headpiece flapping off her head.

I’ve seen Milly with no skirt or headpiece of any kind more times than I can count, but I look away to be polite, though there’s no way she’ll miss my silent laughter as I fluff out the fringe on my new shawl and hold out a hand to help her up.

She stumbles to her feet, glaring, and snatches a fallen hairpin from the ground, thrusting it out at me without a word. I keep my giggles to a minimum while I get her headpiece back in position over her curls, and we bend to retrieve our shiny shoes and beaded handbags from the gray terra-cotta floor.

Now comes the hard part. We’re one level off the street, but getting down shouldn’t be difficult, thanks to the sturdy oak tree. The problem is the ancient double-globe lamppost on the opposite side. We’re safely in the dark here on the balcony, but that old lamp shines straight onto the tree, and it’s bare in wintertime. People walk out at all hours on Dupont Circle, and there are always motorcars trundling this way and that, and sometimes horses, too. There’s no telling who’ll be looking skyward.

We need to get into that tree and out of it again as fast as we possibly can. Any passerby could see us skirting along the branches and call the police. Or, worse, Mrs. Rose.

A delicious mix of fear and fervor crawls down my spine as I check to make sure the sidewalk is empty before I move toward it. It’s difficult, clambering over the wide stone railing in my short dress, and even without anyone below, I can’t help but worry about displaying my bloomers and garters to the cold outdoor air.

When I reach the first branch, I perch carefully to test its weight. It holds firm, so I move on to the next branch, then the next. Forward and over, forward and over, never slowing or looking down, until the trunk is inches from my outstretched fingers.

A patch of rough bark snags my stocking, and my toes nearly slip. It’s a fight to regain my balance, but soon enough I’m braced against the sturdy trunk. I can feel a small rip in my heel, and I move carefully to keep it from widening. I wish I’d thought to tuck a spare stocking into my handbag. We’re heading to a speakeasy, after all, and intact stockings are a must.

Milly will’ve brought one. She thinks of everything.

She’s coming along behind me, the lamplight playing over her round, frowning face as she creeps forward across the branch. Her lower lip is tight between her teeth, and there’s worry in her bright eyes.

I reach out a hand, but before she can grasp it, her foot slips on the rough patch and she plunges straight through the barren branches, her eyes wide and desperate.

I lunge, wrapping my legs around the trunk and twisting back, shoving my arms under hers. My back screams, my stockings and skin shredding against the bark. Milly’s legs churn wildly in the air, but she isn’t falling anymore.

We work together, me heaving up, her pushing down in one swift motion. A moment later, we’re both nestled safely amid the branches.

My breaths come out in fierce, noiseless pants. Someone must have seen that. Or heard it. But there’s no sound from below.

We begin creeping down the trunk. I’m about to ask Milly about those extra stockings when the sound comes from above.

I peer up through the skeletal brown leaves.

A figure is leaning out a window above us. Looking down.

I keep silent and still until my eyes focus in the darkness and I recognize the oval-shaped face peering down.

It’s Clara. Her short brown hair falling in a disheveled halo, her lips parting rhythmically as she makes the sound of a bird’s song.

Not a bird. A nightingale.

My heart flies to my mouth as our eyes connect. Clara’s leaning out the window on her elbows, pointing to the street.

That figure I saw, moving in the alley. Running.

What if he’s here? What if he’s seen us, and he—

I twist my head, and I see them.

Two figures, crossing the circle, nearing P Street. Twenty yards away and getting closer. But neither one’s running, and there’s no sign of any guns.

Instead, a man ambles toward us in a raccoon-fur coat, his head tilted back in laughter, a woman’s hand tucked into his arm. She’s laughing, too, with a cigarette clasped easily between her fingers.

I suck in a breath. It’s our headmistress, Mrs. Rose.

I don’t recognize the man at her side. He certainly wasn’t at the faculty party. An old homburg sits angled on his head, tall and straight with a wide black ribbon, like the one my father wore years ago. On this man, though, the hat doesn’t look old-fashioned at all. Everything about him, in fact, seems perfectly current, from his high, sharp cheekbones and rosy peach skin to the soft, easy smile on his lips.

Mrs. Rose has never mentioned any man.

I can’t think about that now. If she catches us stealing away, it won’t matter who she’s with, or how many hours I’ve spent by the fire in her office.

Leaving the seminary without a chaperone is strictly forbidden. Climbing out the window must’ve been so inconceivable the board didn’t even bother to specify it in the rule book. If we’re caught, the expulsion will be automatic and instantaneous.

I’m not sure which to dread more. The punishment, or the disappointment in Mrs. Rose’s eyes.

The man leans down to say something into her ear, and she laughs again, her long, pale neck arcing in the pool of light from the streetlamp. The jewels in her ears glitter. She’s wearing a plush fur stole over her coat, with the Spanish fringe of her shawl dangling loose around it.

Her laugh tonight isn’t like any I’ve heard her utter before. Mrs. Rose is always calm. Composed. Gentle. Tonight, her laugh is open, friendly, and brash.

I never could’ve imagined describing Mrs. Rose as brash.

“Those people tonight, dear God,” she’s saying to the man in the homburg, lifting the cigarette to her lips. I’ve never seen her smoke. Women teachers at our school aren’t allowed, though Mr. Farrel smokes through every Latin lesson. I leave his classroom each morning smelling like a furnace. “Parties are the most horrendous part of this job. If I hadn’t been coming out with you afterward, I’d have thrown myself into the punch bowl.”

The man in the homburg laughs again and pats her hand where it’s tucked into the crook of his arm. It doesn’t seem to be  a lingering, romantic stroke, though. More of an amused, friendly tap.

“Careful,” the man says. “You’d run the risk of ruining your spectacular shawl.”

“If needs must!” Mrs. Rose replies, her cloche hat tipping backward as she chuckles. “Sad as I’d be to part with it. Would you believe I wore it in front of those ladies tonight? Nearly gave that old Patterson biddy a heart attack.”

The man laughs again. These two seem to laugh together quite a bit. “Truly? You wore a knockoff Spanish shawl in front of Thomasina Patterson?”

“Oh, I’m past caring what any of those women think. They wrote me off the moment I dared to suggest their school acknowledge the dawn of the twentieth century. To hear them talk, you’d think I was stalking from room to room with a pair of kitchen shears each night, bobbing their granddaughters’ hair as they sleep.”

I dig my fingers into the tree trunk and stretch the toes of my left leg down as the man laughs again. I want to get a better look at him. There’s something about the way he and Mrs. Rose are leaning in toward each other. It’s so comfortable. So familiar.

“Watch what you say,” he tells Mrs. Rose. “I’ve seen a few of your colleagues out at the East Room around this time of night. Some may be passing us on their way out as we speak.”

“Oh, no, the whole lot of them’s fast asleep. You should’ve seen those teachers dragging themselves out of the party, nodding off on their feet. The parents, too.”

“Tired from the excitement of sipping fruit punch and chatting about bonds?”

“I wish they’d talk about bonds. In New York, all the party talk was about money, and I was used to it. Could chat about commodity markets until the cows came home. But here, no, with these parents, it’s all who’s in line for which first assistant secretaryship, and who spoke out of turn to which justice at so-and-so’s dinner party, and who’s building a new mansion well beyond his means, and what a scandal it all is.” She lets out a barking laugh, and I think again of that word. Brash. “None of them would know scandal if it bit them in the toe! Every party here’s a competition for who can make the dullest conversation.”

“My dear Jessica.” The man takes another puff on his cigarette. I didn’t know her first name was Jessica. How did I not know that? “One would think you were new to our lovely capital.”

Mrs. Rose’s answering laugh is so sharp I flinch.

My foot slips. Cracked leaves crunch sharply underneath, and I have to grab the trunk to keep from falling, my gloved hand landing against it with a stinging slap.

It’s the slap that makes Mrs. Rose’s head jerk toward us.

I shrink into the branches, willing myself to turn the same shade of gray as her stole. The wind whips past me, but I can’t shiver.

She saw us. She must have.

“Something wrong?” the man asks her.

I dart a glance up toward the building, but the window is empty. Clara’s gone back inside. I’m glad. When Milly and I are expelled, at least we can spare Clara the same fate.

Mrs. Rose hesitates. Finally, she turns back to the man. “No. Nothing.”

“Must’ve been the wind. Shall I escort you to the door?”

“Better not. Lucy’ll be waiting up. The dear girl never sleeps.” Mrs. Rose says something more, but they’ve passed the corner of the building, and I can’t make out what they’re saying anymore.

Neither Milly nor I move. Not for a long, excruciating moment, and another after that.

The voices of Mrs. Rose and the man fade away to nothing. Then comes a small, faraway motion that might be the seminary’s front door opening and closing, or might be nothing at all.

Finally, when it seems enough time has passed and then some, I exhale, my heart pumping fiercely.

The branch below me shudders. Milly’s climbing down.

I reach out to help, and soon we’re both crouched on the cold brown grass outside the dining room, past the lamplight. Clara comes quickly afterward, making the entire descent look positively easy, and the three of us duck behind the tree to brush the broken leaves off our coats, wipe away one another’s lipstick smears, and strap on our shoes. Milly gives me her extra pair of stockings and holds out her coat to shield me from the street while I struggle out of my torn pair.

Her cheeks are flushed as we start down the sidewalk, heels clicking on the pavement. Clara’s face is pale with fear, but she manages to smile as she loops her arm through mine, and Milly links elbows with me on the other side.

I answer with a bright smile and the startling realization that after everything—the near fall and nearer expulsion, the scrapes burning along my thighs, the lingering questions about that man and Mrs. Rose—I’m still bubbling over with delight, from my carefully perched headband to my fashionably pinched toes.

It’s time to put as much space between us and the Washington Female Seminary as we can. Our night can finally begin.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Everything Glittered’ by Robin Talley appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Your TBR better watch out because there are so many spectacular YA books hitting shelves over the next few months! With new releases from Amie Kaufman, Lexi Ryan, Karen M. McManus, Maureen Johnson, Sarah Henning, Lynn Painter, Danielle Paige, Kalyn Josephson, and Courtney Gould, along with a few debut novels, there’s something for every reader to pick up and enjoy between July and December!

Read on to discover just a few of our picks and also be sure to check out our Most Anticipated and Swoonworthy Romance lists for more releases!

JULY 2024

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman

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Magic and sacrifice will collide as lovers and gods, enemies and allies vie for the fate of the world in this heart-pounding sequel to THE ISLES OF THE GODS, which Stephanie Garber called “deliciously diabolical and full of heart.” (Now publishes in September 2024)

Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith

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A teen girl’s attempt to make amends with her former friend group takes a sinister turn during a weekend getaway at an ancestral Irish estate in this atmospheric, literary horror from the author of Those We Drown.

Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts by Adam Sass

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A swoony contemporary romance from Adam Sass following a boy who is cursed to doom any romantic relationship—and the summer that changes everything.

A Darker Mischief by Derek Milman

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The Honeys meets The Secret History in a work of dark academia like no other — a boarding school thriller about a queer teen from Mississippi who finds himself swept into a world of old money, privilege, and the secret society at the heart of it all.

A Magic Fierce and Bright by Hemant Nayak

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A young technomancer teams up with a handsome thief to save her sister in this propulsive, magic-filled young adult fantasy that is perfect for fans of Gearbreakers and Iron Widow.

The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

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A group of friends fight to choose their own fates in this trope-savvy, self-referential young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games, about a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in the spirit of the Scream movies.

Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lexi Ryan comes a romantic fantasy in which a human princess armed with death’s kiss and a fae shifter on the run become unlikely allies when a mission to assassinate an evil king collides with a fatal prophecy.

Ready or Not by Andi Porretta

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An anxious teen hopes that a summer of adventure and offbeat dares will keep her friend group together after graduation in this luminous coming-of-age graphic novel with the feel-good vibes of Booksmart and Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone.

Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus

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The newest mystery from the author One of Us Is Lying, the Queen of thrillers, Karen M. McManus! When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final job, the heist gets deadly and dangerously personal.

Break to You by Neal Shusterman, Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden

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Bestselling author of Scythe and Challenger Deep Neal Shusterman, here with coauthors Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden, tells an intense yet tender story of two teens, trapped in impossible circumstances and unjust systems, willing to risk everything for love—no matter the consequences.

So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky

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A queer, feminist spin on Stephen King’s The Mist, this ode to female-rage is a perfect pick for fans of She Is a Haunting, and a reminder that if “boys will be boys”, girls will fight back.

Hearts Overboard by Becky Dean

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Set sail with this banter-filled rivals-to-lovers romance between a STEM-loving girl and a jock guy that will fill you with wanderlust…and have you rooting for love in the great outdoors!

AUGUST 2024

Ami by S. Jae-Jones

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Filled with adventure, romance and a race against time, Guardians of Dawn: Ami is the next book in the richly imagined Guardians of Dawn series.

The Dark We Know by Wen-yi Lee

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From Gillian Flynn Books, a lyrical young adult horror by debut author Wen-yi Lee that’s perfect for fans of She Is a Haunting, Stephen King’s IT, and The Haunting of Hill House.

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

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From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.

This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings

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The first book in a decadent fantasy duology set in Jazz Age Harlem, where at night the dance halls come to life―and death waits in the dark.

A Banh Mi for Two by Trinity Nguyen

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In this sweet sapphic romance about two foodies in love, Vivi meets Lan while studying abroad in Vietnam and they spend the semester unraveling their families’ histories―and eating all the street food in Sài Gòn.

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay

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From the author of the National Book Award finalist Patron Saints of Nothing comes an emotionally charged, moving novel about four generations of Filipino American boys grappling with identity, masculinity, and their fraught father-son relationships.

The Empire Wars by Akana Phenix

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The Empire Wars is a powerful new YA fantasy in which magic may be a young woman’s only hope for survival.

Wisteria by Adalyn Grace

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Adalyn Grace delivers a sensational conclusion to the deathly and decadent Belladonna trilogy, with dramatic twists and a seductive new romance that will set readers’ hearts ablaze.

Come Out, Come Out by Natalie C. Parker

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A spine-tingling LGBTQIA+ YA horror about queer teens who accidentally invoke a twisted spirit who promises help but delivers something sinister.

Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar

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The must-read suspense novel of the summer about a mysterious sister’s disappearance, her biggest betrayal and a deadly truth screaming to come out.  

Practical Rules for Cursed Witches by Kayla Cottingham

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From the New York Times bestselling author of My Dearest Darkest comes a sapphic fantasy adventure about a teen witch who must complete her magical training by breaking a powerful family’s curse. But her own affliction—to never find true love—gets in the way when she falls for the girl she’s trying to save.

Under The Surface by Diana Urban

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An epic survival-thriller about four teens who get lost in the Paris catacombs for days—a gripping and propulsive story of love, danger, betrayal, and hope… even when all seems lost.

SEPTEMBER 2024

Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot by Preeti Chhibber

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This laugh-out-loud debut romance introduces perfectly imperfect Payal Mehta, whose plan to get her long-time crush to finally notice her is destined for success, but only if she ignores her budding feelings for her archnemesis…

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

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A queer Appalachian thriller that pulls no punches—following a trans autistic teen who’s drawn into the generational struggle between the rural poor and those who exploit them.

The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning

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Knives Out meets The Inheritance Games with magic in this standalone supernatural thriller by Sarah Henning: thirteen witches, a locked-room murder, and two non-magical sisters trapped in a deadly whodunit.

The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

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From the astonishing mind of Erin A. Craig comes the breathtaking fairy tale retelling readers have been waiting for— what does a life well-lived mean, and how do we justify the impossible choices we make for the ones we love?

Everything Glittered by Robin Talley

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In this queer historical thriller from a New York Times bestselling author, society girls try to find a murderer in a city filled with secrets and stunted by shame. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club.

When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao

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From the New York Times bestselling author Dustin Thao, We Are Okay meets Wandavision in this novel about loss, and learning to let go.

The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic

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An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, set in a Regency England about two sisters fighting to hold on to their manor while deadly monsters prowl along its perimeters—perfect for fans of House of Salt and Sorrows and Anatomy: A Love Story.

The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf

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An all-girls school is struck with mysterious cases of screaming hysteria in this chilling dark academia thriller haunted by a deeply buried history clawing to the light.

Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter

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In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.

To The Bone by Alena Bruzas

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This moving and tragic love story is also a starkly honest look at Colonial America, set during the “Starving Time” in Jamestown.

Spells To Forget Us by Aislinn Brophy

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A witch and a non-magical girl get stuck in an endless cycle of meet-cutes and breakups in this heart-stopping romantic young adult fantasy.

Faeries Never Lie, Edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker

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Faeries Never Lie, the next young adult collection in the Untold Legends series edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, is filled with fourteen short stories to revel in, that center faeries of varying genders and cultures!

OCTOBER 2024

Tangleroot by Kalela Williams

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In this debut novel, chosen by booksellers as an Indies Introduce selection, a girl must face hard truths about blood and family, history and mystery.

Inheritance of Scars by Crystal Seitz

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House of Roots and Ruin meets The Darkest Part of the Forest in this gorgeous dark fantasy debut steeped in Norse mythology that follows a teen who accidentally awakens an imprisoned draugr and must follow him into a deadly magical forest to rescue her grandmother.

Spell of the Sinister by Danielle Paige

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In New York Times bestselling author Danielle Paige’s wickedly fresh take on beloved tales, the fairy godmothers make the rules. Be careful what you wish for . . .

Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

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‘Tis the season for holiday hijinks in the newest sapphic rom-com about a rising star and a small town girl going on twelve fake holidates from the New York Times bestselling authors of She Gets the Girl, Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick!

The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

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Dive into a lush, standalone fantasy, set in the same world as The Drowned Woods and The Bone Houses, about a deadly competition—perfect for fans of Holly Black and Erin A. Craig.

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.

Eleven Houses by Colleen Oakes

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Midnight Mass meets The Vampire Diaries in this epic romantic tale of a mysterious island and the houses who have stood for centuries to guard against the dreaded nightmare of beings waiting to strike from the ocean’s depths.

For She Is Wrath by Emily Varga

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A sweeping, Pakistani romantic fantasy retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, where one girl seeks revenge against those who betrayed her—including the boy she used to love.

The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew

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Serpent & Dove meets Arcane in this dystopian romance debut that follows a cunning memory merchant who deals a little extra happiness on the side and the handsome rookie officer on her tail!

Fledgling: The Keeper’s Records of Revolution by S. K. Ali

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The first book in a gripping duology from acclaimed author S.K. Ali introduces a fractured world on the brink of either enlightenment or war.

Inferno’s Heir by Tiffany Wang

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Fearing for her life, an outcast princess joins the rebellion against her own kingdom and family. . . but when playing with fire, someone always gets burned. 

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley

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Jessica Goodman meets The Agathas in this taut, twisty YA thriller set in the glittering world of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, where secrets–and bodies–never stay buried.

NOVEMBER 2024

Heist Royale by Kayvion Lewis

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The new Gambit takes Ross and her crew into the intoxicating casinos of Monte Carlo and across treacherous snow-covered slopes in Antarctica as Ross competes against Devroe in a fight for her life. Loyalties will be tested, backs stabbed, hearts broken. May the best thief win.

Darkly by Marisha Pessl

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A seemingly ordinary high school student. A mysterious summer internship. And a legendary game designer, now dead, leaving a dark legacy. The New York Times bestselling author of Night Film spins a twisted web in this masterful YA psychological thriller.

I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea

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Jamison Shea’s sharp and unflinching voice will bring readers to terrifying new heights in this vicious sequel to the “relentlessly gory and almost euphoric in its embrace of the horrific” (NPR) I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me.

The Whispering Night by Susan Dennard

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The forest is more dangerous than ever in this highly-anticipated, pulse-pounding, and swoon-worthy conclusion to the bestselling Luminaries trilogy.

Rani Choudhury Must Die by Adiba Jaigirdar

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In this sapphic dual POV Young Adult romance by Adiba Jaigirdar, Meghna and Rani (ex-best-friends-turned-rivals) realize they’re dating the same guy, so they team up to beat and expose him at a big science competition!

When Mimi Went Missing by Suja Sukumar

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The splintered relationship between two Indian American cousins is at the center of this dark, twisty YA mystery—perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson, Karen McManus, and Angeline Boulley.

Midnights With You by Clare Osongco

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Fans of Susan Lee and Dustin Thao will be enchanted by this soulful YA romance about how we love, how we heal, and how we find the strength to go on.

Our Deadly Designs by Kalyn Josephson

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The Shadows Between Us meets The Scorpio Races in the epic conclusion to NYT bestselling Kalyn Josephson’s This Dark Descent, called “a fierce and darkly magical thrill ride” by acclaimed author Ava Reid.

Perfect Girl by Tracy Banghart

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Jessa has been raised to be the “perfect girl”, but things go south. A killer looking for the perfect girl has targeted Jessa, and she’ll have to reject everything she’s been taught if she wants to keep herself―and her friends―alive until sunrise.

If You Can Hear This by Faith Gardner

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The twisty, intricate mystery of I Killed Zoe Spanos meets the whip-smart sleuthing of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder in the newest novel from acclaimed author Faith Gardner, in which a club of misfits must come together to solve a dangerous mystery—and learn to lean on each other all the while.

Dead Girls Don’t Dream by Nino Cipri

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There are rules for Voynich Woods: Always carry a whistle. Never go alone. Always come home before dark. And if anyone calls your name, don’t answer. Because everyone who wanders from the path is never seen again.

Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June

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Sparks are flying in Winter Wonderland this Christmas in this LGBTQ+ young adult rom-com from Jason June, New York Times bestselling author of Out of the Blue, Jay’s Gay Agenda, and Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball!

DECEMBER 2024

A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya

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A fledgling vampire and a headstrong vampire huntress must work together–against their better judgment–to rid the world of monsters in this irresistible romantic fantasy.

Dust by Alison Stine

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In this haunting, speculative coming-of-age novel about finding your place in an unforgiving environment, a partially deaf teen questions everything she knows about family, love, and her future.

Keep It in the Dark by Justin Arnold

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In this unashamedly queer, supernatural romance, Justin Arnold, author of Wicked Little Things, challenges the institutions that have sidelined queer love to the shadows, and brings it into the light.

We Are the Beasts by Gigi Griffis

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Deaths and disappearances pile up as a mysterious beast stalks the French countryside and two girls seize an unlikely opportunity that just might save them all—or serve them up on a platter.

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

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Yellowjackets meets Girl, Interrupted when a group of troubled teens in a wilderness therapy program find themselves stranded in a forest full of monsters eager to take their place.

You’re Dead to Me by Amy Christine Parker

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Gossip Girl meets Happy Death Day in this YA horror novel following high school outcast and anonymous social media gossip Ruby, who comes face-to-face with her own ghost dressed in a blood-splattered prom dress. With less than a week until the dance, Ruby must unmask her killer—or die trying.

What YA books are you looking forward to hitting shelves between July and December? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 66 YA Books Hitting Bookshelves Between July and December 2024 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Releasing on January 30th 2024, Annie Cardi’s new release Red is a modern retelling of The Scarlet Letter for the #MeToo era where a Christian girl who is stigmatised by her peers after seeking an abortion.

When I was in high school, my favorite part of art class was working with found objects. I made a purse out of old neckties; angel wings out of wire hangers; a sculpture out of old lipstick tubes; a recycled paper book. Similarly, I love books that repurpose old, familiar stories into new tales that help the reader reexamine something they thought they understood.

I especially love this when it comes to retellings of classic English literature. I was an English major, so I love a lot of the classics, but they often frame stories around a particular (often white/cis/het/male) experience. That’s something that a lot of teen readers either can’t relate to or something they’ve already seen a lot of in many years of required reading. One thing I love about YA adaptations of classic novels is the opportunity to deconstruct these stories and reframe them in a way that’s both fresh and also touches something familiar in the reader’s own life.

When I first read The Scarlet Letter in high school, I was so pissed that Hester Prynne was shamed for getting pregnant outside of marriage while her romantic partner didn’t admit his involvement until the very end and kept on living his normal life. I wanted better for Hester. For my newest novel Red, I kept thinking of abuses of power in small religious communities, standing strong despite public shame, and stigma around sex and reproductive rights—all aspects of The Scarlet Letter that are part of teen readers’ lives today.

For readers looking for more fantastic spins on classic novels, here are a few of my favorite YA contemporary retellings. In no particular order:

As I Descended by Robin Talley

Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays, so I was thrilled to read this queer take on the classic tragedy set at an elite boarding school. Talley weaves together the interpersonal intrigue and the supernatural creepiness to create a thrilling story of betrayal, desperation, and guilt.

Ana of California by Andi Teran

Like many readers who grew up with the Lucy Maud Montgomery series and the CBS miniseries, I am very protective of Anne of Green Gables and was therefore suspicious of a contemporary YA adaptation. But Teran handles the transition from late 19^th century Prince Edward Island to early 21^st century California with care as Ana deals with trauma from her past while moving forward with hope and love as she forms a new family.

The Dead Fathers Club by Matt Haig

When I was in high school, I dragged myself through Hamlet and was frustrated with the title character. Matt Haig’s The Dead Father’s Club gave me a deeper sympathy for the main character, torn between guilt and grief and loyalty and fear. It’s also a great exploration of toxic masculinity and the pressures sons feel from their fathers.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This is more inspired by King Lear than a straight retelling, but Lockhart’s story of a rich family on a private island off the coast of Massachusetts pulls so much of the emotional core from Lear that I had to include it here. It’s a fantastic look at privilege, family trauma, and the cost of honesty. I also love this as an example of how an adaptation can veer so far from the source material and still connect so deeply on a thematic and emotional level.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by EK Johnston

Johnston’s adaptation of The Winter’s Tale has so much I love to see in YA: a strong, smart main character, fierce female friendships, and a frank but supportive depiction of reproductive rights and surviving sexual assault. Readers will connect with cheer captain Hermione as she navigates what it means to live with and after trauma.

Where the Rhythm Takes You by Sarah Dass

Persuasion, Jane Austen’s novel of second chance romance gets an update in Dass’s Where the Rhythm Takes You, which centers on a seventeen-year-old who manages her family’s hotel in Tobago and an ex-boyfriend-turned-music-superstar. Reyna is relatable as someone who takes on more responsibility than most would at her age while also feeling the longing and heartbreak and hope of first love. It’s also great to see a YA set in the Caribbbean!

I, Claudia by Mary McCoy

It’s difficult to think of many contemporary YA political thrillers, but in I, Claudia, McCoy creates a sharp, dynamic retelling of I, Claudius centered around high school student government. Claudia is a smart, observant, wry narrator who draws the reader in while also keeps us guessing at her motivations and machinations. I need a mini-series of this.

The post Seven YA Books That Spin Classics For Contemporary Audiences appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Nina LaCour, this #ownvoices romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Robin Talley has something for everyone: backstage rendezvous, deadly props, and a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to True Love.

We chat to author Robin Talley about her latest release, The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre, as well as book recommendations, what’s next for her, and more!

 Hello Robin! Welcome! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Thanks for the welcome! I’m an author of books for teens, and anyone else who likes a good story. I identify as queer, and the stories I write are about teenagers who are themselves on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. My newest novel, The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre, will be my seventh. I live in Washington, D.C., with my wife and our two rambunctious kiddos.

What can people expect in The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre?

Love Curse is a queer rom-com set in the world of high school theater. It’s got forbidden love, backstage drama, superstitious theater nerds, copious musical references, and more than one secret rendezvous in the school tech booth.

What was your inspiration for writing The Love Curse? Was there any prompt or initial idea that urged you to write it?

This novel started out with the character of Melody McIntyre herself — she just showed up in my brain one afternoon when I was supposed to be working on another project entirely. At first all I knew about Mel was that she was extremely skilled at something, but I wasn’t sure what. When I realized she was a stage manager, and the best one in the history of her school’s performing arts department, the rest of the story very rapidly fell into place.

I adored the romance and the chemistry between Mel and Odile! How did you go about writing their characters and their relationship?

Thank you! Writing their relationship was interesting, because at the outset I knew a lot about Mel, but I didn’t know Odile nearly as well. I was getting a feel for her at the same time I was getting a feel for the way the two characters connected. The moment that made them click for me was when I envisioned their first real, meaningful conversation, when the two of them sneak out of a party, leaving their friends behind in Mel’s basement, to talk outside. It’s the first time either of them lets down their guard in the story, and soon, without meaning to, they’re both opening up, sharing the kind of stuff they never tell people. Once I could see that scene clearly in my head, their dynamic made total sense me. They’re both used to keeping their feelings to themselves, but they also trust each other instinctively.

What were the most memorable things for you when you wrote The Love Curse?

The research! A big part of my preparation for this book involved going to see local high school and youth theater productions. I went to ten different musicals, from Bye Bye Birdie to Floyd Collins, and at each of them I got to take in the atmosphere, analyze the on-stage action, and sneak looks at the tech booth and backstage goings-on. I made up entire stories in my head about the kids at each show based on the way they smiled during curtain calls or who they thanked in their program bios. I’ve never had so much fun researching a book.

Were there any scenes or parts that didn’t make it to the final version of the book? Or were there any scenes or parts that you thought about adding?

Oh yes, this book changed a lot in the revision process. One sequence that I cut involved Mel accompanying Odile to a red-carpet movie premiere. It absolutely didn’t fit in the final version of the story, but I was sad to lose the makeout scene in the swanky hotel elevator, and the afterparty with Leonardo DiCaprio.

If you were Mel, would you have agreed with your love life being the subject of the theater’s superstition that year?  

Ha! Well, let’s just say I’m not nearly as superstitious as Mel and her crew. Thankfully.

I loved the fact that this book has some casual queer representation, but you also highlighted a few of the struggles queer people go through. Do you think it’s important that we see more of that balance in books and other media?

For sure. I’ve written books that focus more heavily on the struggle, some a lot more heavily, and I definitely think that’s important to reflect, particularly for readers facing challenges due to their own identities. And I also think there’s a place for stories about LGBTQ+ people who are simply living their lives. For one thing, it’s an escape from the burdens of the real world — but also, because we’re lucky enough to live in the time we do, it also is the reality for some teens, like Mel, who’ve been fortunate enough to grow up knowing that they’re welcome in their families and communities regardless of who they are or who they love. So I think that’s important to reflect, too.

What other queer books do you recommend for us right now?

My favorite question! Here are some recent reads I’ve savored: Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian, The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue, Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell, This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender, Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan, and You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson.

What’s next for you? Do you have any upcoming projects or books we can look forward to?

I’m working on a new project now, but although I’m not as superstitious as Mel, I am  superstitious about giving too much away this time since a lot could still wind up changing. But stay tuned!

Will you be picking up The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Robin Talley, Author of ‘The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Before picking up this book, I wondered, “will this be my new favourite?”. I asked myself that question because everything about The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre is right up on my alley and I was really looking forward to reading it. Now that I’ve finished it, I have the answer to that innocent question: a big fat YES.

With humour and wit, great writing style, relatable characters, irresistible and swoony sapphic romance, and a flair of drama and theatricality, The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre is one story that will stay with you for a long time.

The writing style of the author is light and full of humour, but it also packs quite a punch when needed. There’s also something so beautiful with the storytelling in this book, particularly in the part where Mel and Odile were getting to know each other. In the book, there was a section full of dialogues (and only dialogues) and yet, I could clearly visualise Mel and Odile falling in love.

The whole book also highlighted theatre production quite perfectly. At the start of the book, there is the announcement of the spring musical production, in between chapters are official documents and postings, and the chapter headers look like play script headings. It made the story fun and atmospheric in the best way possible.

I also loved getting to know the characters in this book. There were a lot, which can get confusing at times, but it’s not too distracting. Instead, they helped shape the story and move it forward. Mel is such a delightful main character and I loved reading the story in her perspective. I could feel her passion for theatre through the pages, and how this ultimately clashed with her own growing feelings for Odile.

The romance, oh, the romance! Let it be known that I am not overly excited when it comes to romance, and it takes a lot for me to be swayed by the love interests. However, the romance in this book is just exquisite. Mel and Odile’s chemistry and dynamic, how they went from sort of acquaintances to lovers, how Mel thought she already knew what kind of person Odile was (only to be proven wrong) is so GOOD. There were times I had to stop reading because I feel like I would burst from so much happiness because of these two. I adored them so much as a couple and as individual characters and I just couldn’t help but root for them until the end.

The plot in this book was relatively simple, but in no means is it boring. Apart from the romance plot, there’s also their Les Mis production (which reminded me of the fun and chaos in shows like Glee and High School Musical), the situation of their theatre and its curse, Mel’s friendship with Dom and other characters, and more. Everything was so entertaining from start to finish.

I also loved how the book opened up with a document listing down the theatre department’s superstitions, rules, and countercurses. I think the first sign of just how serious they are when it comes to the curse, and it showed later on in the book’s plot, when everyone seemed so consumed by the idea of it.

And of course, also my favourite thing in this book is the fact that it’s so gay. There is casual queer representation, but significant issues were also pointed out and talked about throughout the book. I absolutely loved that.

Overall, The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre is one special book. If you’re looking for a feel good YA romcom, with a dash of angst, and a whole lot of queer—well, this is the perfect book for you! Content warning: Slut shaming (mild).

The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of December 1st 2020.

Will you be picking up The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Nina LaCour, this #ownvoices romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Robin Talley has something for everyone: backstage rendezvous, deadly props, and a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to True Love.

Melody McIntyre, stage manager extraordinaire, has a plan for everything.

What she doesn’t have? Success with love. Every time she falls for someone during a school performance, both the romance and the show end in catastrophe. So, Mel swears off any entanglements until their upcoming production of Les Mis is over.

Of course, Mel didn’t count on Odile Rose, rising star in the acting world, auditioning for the spring performance. And she definitely didn’t expect Odile to be sweet and funny, and care as much about the play’s success as Mel.

Which means that Melody McIntyre’s only plan now is trying desperately not to fall in love.

The post Review: The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre by Robin Talley appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below which ones you will be checking out!

The Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman
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The thrilling, genre-bending conclusion to Lady Helen’s demon-hunting adventures, set in the glittering Regency world. In the final book of the trilogy that began with THE DARK DAYS CLUB and continued with THE DARK DAYS PACT, the intrepid Lady Helen’s story hurtles to a shocking conclusion full of action, heartbreak, and betrayal.

This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow
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It doesn’t matter what the prize for the Sun City Originals contest is this year. Dia knows that without a band, she hasn’t got a shot at winning. Ever since Hanna’s drinking took over her life and left. It used to be the three of them, Dia, Jules, and Hanna, messing around and making music and planning for the future. But now there’s a baby, a failed relationship, a stint in rehab, all kinds of off beats that have interrupted the rhythm of their friendship. No contest can change that. Right?

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer
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The Renegades Trilogy continues, in this fiercely awaited second installment after the New York Times-bestselling Renegades by Marissa Meyer, author of the Lunar Chronicles.

Pulp by Robin Talley
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In this novel told in dual narratives, New York Times bestselling author Robin Talley weaves together the lives of two young women connected across generations through the power of words. A stunning story of bravery, love, how far we’ve come and how much farther we have to go.

This Splintered Silence by Kayla Olson
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Lindley Hamilton has been the leader of the space station Lusca since every first-generation crew member on board, including her mother, the commander, were killed by a deadly virus. Lindley always assumed she’d captain the Lusca one day, but she never thought that day would come so soon. When a member of the surviving second generation dies from symptoms that look just like the deadly virus, though, Lindley feels her world shrinking even smaller. The disease was supposed to be over; the second generation was supposed to be immune. But as more people die, Lindley must face the terrifying reality that either the virus has mutated or something worse is happening: one of their own is a killer.

The Reckoning of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin
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Noah Shaw confesses all in this second novel of a chilling new companion series to Michelle Hodkin’s New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer trilogy!

Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
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Set in the world of debutante balls, grand estates and rolling green hills, Little White Lies combines a charming setting, a classic fish-out-of-water story, and the sort of layered mystery only author Jennifer Lynn Barnes can pull off.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
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Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. She needs to keep herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardise the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions. The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals. What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

Any Second by Kevin Emerson
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Five years after being kidnapped, Elian’s captor sends him into the mall–with a bomb strapped to his chest. Across the mall is Maya, a girl whose crippling anxiety holds her prisoner in its own way. Whether it’s chance or fate, Maya keeps Eli from ending them all. And now nothing is the same. Drawn together by their dark pasts, Maya and Eli know it takes only seconds for their entire worlds to change. But time will tell if meeting each other will change them for better or worse.

Mammoth by Jill Baguchinsky
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The summer before her junior year, paleontology geek Natalie Page lands a coveted internship at an Ice Age dig site near Austin. Natalie, who’s also a plus-size fashion blogger, depends on the retro style she developed to shield herself from her former bullies, but vintage dresses and perfect lipstick aren’t compatible with prospecting for fossils in the Texas heat. But nothing is going to dampen Natalie’s spirit — she’s exactly where she wants to be, and she gets to work with her hero, a rock-star paleontologist who hosts the most popular paleo podcast in the world. And then there’s Chase the intern, who’s seriously cute, and Cody, a local boy who’d be even cuter if he were less of a grouch.

The Incredible True Story of the Making of the Eve of Destruction by Amy Brashear
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Arkansas, 1984: The town of Griffin Flat is known for almost nothing other than its nuclear missile silos. Now, film moguls have picked Griffin Flat as the location for a new nuclear holocaust movie, aptly titled The Eve of Destruction. When sixteen-year-old Laura Ratliff wins a walk-on role (with a plus-one!) thanks to a radio call-in contest, she is more relieved than excited. While on set after the scripted nuclear explosion, nobody seems to know if a real nuclear bomb has detonated or not.

The Resolutions by Mia Garcia
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New Years are for fresh starts, but Jess just wants everything to go back to the way it was. From hiking trips, to four-person birthday parties, to never-ending group texts, Jess, Lee, Ryan, and Nora have always been inseparable—and unstoppable. But now, with senior year on the horizon, they’ve been splintering off and growing apart. And so, as always, Jess makes a plan. She adds a new twist: instead of making their own resolutions, the four friends assign them for each other—dares like kiss someone you know is wrong for you. But not even the best laid plans can take into account the uncertainties of life.

What YA book are you most excited for this month? Tell us in the comments below!

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