About The Breakup Artists: Adriana Mather, New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch, brings her signature wit, wild imagination, and all the feels to her new YA novel, The Breakup Artists—perfect for fans of Jennifer E. Smith’s The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.

Who doesn’t love a good meet-cute to swoon over or giggle about? Just in case you’re not familiar with this endearing term, a meet-cute is a playful, amusing moment when two characters meet and sparks fly! As someone who just crafted one for The Breakup Artists (number 3 on this list!), I can vouch that they do in fact lead to sigh-worthy romantic journeys. These memorable first encounters will melt your heart like ice-cream on a hot summer’s day!

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

To say it went badly is an understatement. Dimple and Rishi’s first encounter is a classic case of miscommunication. Their parents have decided to arrange a marriage for them, and while Rishi is all for it, Dimple is not, but that’s partly because she didn’t know anything about it. So when Rishi refers to her as his future wife, you can’t blame her for throwing her drink at him!

Love and Luck by Jenna Evans Welch

What is more romantic than a tackle? Well for Rowan, every little. He sees Addie tackle her older brother in a parking lot in Ireland and is immediately smitten. Sure, it’s a wee bit complicated considering Rowan is actually Addie’s brother’s friend. But he’s also attractive with an Irish accent, and drawn to her spunk and determination. Besides, he seems to understand her in a way very few people do.

The Breakup Artists by Adriana Mather

August has been secretly hired to break up Ella from her awful boyfriend. He devises a plan to bump into her at her fav coffee shop, but his timing is all wrong and at the exact moment he takes the top off his coffee, her elbow swings around, leading to a coffee-soaked Ella and a horrified August. Besides her never wanting to see to him again, August has another problem, he kinda really enjoys her. Maybe too much? Which is the last thing that can happen, not only because she’s his newest case, but because everything he’s told her so far has been a lie, including his name.

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo

Catherine “Lucky” Nam is a huge K-pop star who just performed in Hong Kong for her many adoring fans and is now trying to fall asleep in her fancy hotel. A not so great mix of sleep and anxiety medication and a deep desire for a hamburger, has her in the lobby in her slippers moments later where she runs into Jack Lim—a gifted photographer and tabloid paparazzo. What could possibly go right? Maybe everything?

Meet-Cute Diary by Emery Lee

Noah Ramirez has a super popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily-ever-afters. There’s just one problem—all the stories are fake. When a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world unravels. Then in comes Drew, who agrees to fake-date Noah to convince everyone that the stories are true and save the Diary. But when Noah’s feelings grow, he realizes that dating in real life isn’t the same as finding love on the page.

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi

The first time Sana asked out a girl (Rachel) it was such a disaster that she never did it again. Meanwhile, Rachel was furious because she thought Sana was trying to prank her by asking her on a date. Now Rachel is an aspiring director and when it comes time for Rachel to cast her senior project, she knows without a doubt that there is no one more perfect for the lead than Sana. They have to try to get past their failed meet cute and make something beautiful together in this enemies-to-lovers romance.

I Love So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn

Fashion-obsessed Kimi takes an impromptu trip to Japan and meets a handsome local, Akira. Only he’s dressed as a costumed mochi mascot! Costume aside, he’s actually a med student, and the best part is he helps her rediscover her passion for creating clothes—and maybe something more.

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Gia’s prom plans go awry when her boyfriend dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom. Desperate and frustrated she recruits a random stranger (who is just waiting to pick up his sister), Hayden, as her fake date. The task is simple: two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. But could fake feelings turn real?

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

In the real world, Eliza is shy, awkward, and friendless. However, Eliza is also the anonymous creator of a hugely popular online comic. Wallace is its biggest fan. Online, Eliza flirts with Wallace. But when he transfers to her school, he doesn’t know who Eliza is in real life and they have the opportunity and the challenge of meeting all over again!

Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet

And last, but never least, a collection of diverse short stories by some amazing YA authors who have a love for hilarious and heart-thumping meet-cutes that will certainly make you smile and sigh!

These charming and unforgettable meet-cutes remind us that love can be found in the most unexpected and comical of circumstances. So, the next time you’re strolling through the park, swapping phones with a stranger, or even battling your professional rival, keep an open mind—you might just stumble upon your very own hilarious love story!

The post 10 Hilarious and Swoony Meet-Cutes In YA Novels appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

1. Undead Ghoul Meet-Cute by Kendare Blake: Frankenstein-esque “enemies to lovers” romance involving a lonely ghoul and a severed head.
2. A Thousand More by Chloe Gong: An immortal tries to reconnect with his mate after they are both reincarnated.
3. Who Will Save Me by Julian Winters: A guardian angel struggles to perform his duty whilst falling in love.
4. In the Eyes of Angels by Alexis Henderson: A romance blossoms after a recovering addict rescues a fallen angel.
5. My Demon Prince Charming by Sandhya Menon: In the hopes of securing a date to a party, a girl uses a love spell and accidentally summons a demon.
6. Katrine and Rowan’s Exit Interview by Sarah Gailey: Told in script, a shipwrecked couple is forced to give an interview before they are allowed to leave a cursed island.
7. Bride-Heart by Marie Rutkoski: To help provide for her family, an 18-year-old marries a mysterious stranger and, upon learning his secret, enlists the help of a goat farmer.
8. If You Give an Asura a Cookie by Akshaya Ramon: An asura (human by day and demon by night) hopes to discover the identity of the fellow asura she meets with annually whilst in demon form.
9. Kiss the Boy by Adib Khorram: A merman finds himself unexpectedly mated to the human boy who saved his life.
10. Piano Sonata No. 13 by Kalynn Bayron: A piano prodigy finds herself inexplicably drawn to a cursed piece of music and the killer demon that the music summons.
11. Once Upon a Time in Charleston by Melissa de la Cruz: A vampire questions the mating bond that was imposed upon her after she meets a handsome traveller.
12. Pierce My Soul by Kat Cho: A girl runs into a past love whilst hunting a vampire.
13. Banes and Blessings by Hafsah Faizal: A boy attempts to stop a siren-like creature’s killing spree.
14. Bloody, Lovely by Casey McQuiston: A teen gains the courage to come out as trans after bonding with the “bloody Mary” stuck in her bathroom mirror.
15. La Bruja y la Sirena by Anna-Marie McLemore: A sea witch and a mermaid seek revenge on an abusive and entitled human.

A multitude of themes and topics are discussed in this short story anthology, such as fate versus free will, love and heartbreak, revenge, desire to escape, companionship, identity, loneliness and isolation, life and death, and family. Eternally Yours may be best suited for teens and young adults who enjoy reading paranormal and fantasy romance, but may entice older readers who enjoy some paranormal, as well as those who enjoy reading short story anthologies like My True Love Gave to Me or Summer Days and Summer Nights by Stephanie Perkins et al. In my opinion, the ideal time to real this anthology would be in the autumn or around Halloween since all the stories include paranormal or spooky elements!

Since I’m not a fan of horror, I appreciated that, whilst being paranormal and spooky, none of the short stories were scary or overly gory. It was great that more than half of the short stories in this anthology included an LGBTQ+ couple. Additionally, the stories were quick reads (only around 30 pages each) and standalones (so you can skip any stories that aren’t of interest), but can sometimes be challenging to read as one doesn’t have time to connect with the characters and get invested in their storyline.

Lastly, my favourite short stories included in this anthology were A Thousand More by Chloe Gong, If You Give an Asura a Cookie by Akshaya Ramon, and Bloody, Lovely by Casey McQuiston. Furthermore, all the romance elements included in A Thousand More was delightful,  the mystery aspects in If You Give an Asura a Cookie intriguing, and quite the unique concept and heartwarming twist in Bloody, Lovely.

Overall, this paranormal romance anthology is a quick YA read that’s perfect for the upcoming autumn and Halloween season!

Eternally Yours is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up Eternally Yours? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Vampires and merpeople, angels and demons—the paranormal is full of unusual beings. The stories in this anthology imagine worlds where the only thing more powerful than the supernatural, is love.

Contributors include: Kalynn Bayron (Cinderella Is Dead); Kendare Blake (Three Dark Crowns); Kat Cho (Wicked Fox); Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods); Sarah Gailey (When We Were Magic); Hafsah Faizal(We Hunt the Flame); Chloe Gong (These Violent Delights); Alexis Henderson (The Year of the Witching); Adib Khorram (Darius the Great Is Not Okay); Anna-Marie McLemore (When the Moon Was Ours, The Mirror Season); Casey McQuiston (Red, White, and Royal Blue; One Last Stop); Sandhya Menon (When Dimple Met Rishi); Akshaya Raman (The Ivory Key); Marie Rutkoski (The Winner’s Curse); Julian Winters (Running With Lions; Right Where I Left You)

The post Review: Eternally Yours, edited by Patrice Caldwell appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

We had the pleasure of chatting with author Sandhya Menon about her latest novel Of Princes and Promises, as well as writing, book recommendations, and more!

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

Hi, hi! I’m Sandhya Menon, author of When Dimple Met Rishi, Of Princes and Promises, and many other books full of swoony kisses and HEAs!

How is your 2021 going in comparison to that other year?

Haha, gosh, literally ANYthing would be better than reliving 2020, I think. I feel this sense of freedom and joy and the random, uncontrollable urge to just run outside my house and yell, “It’s over!! It’s all over!!” (Well, almost.) Tell me that’s not just me.

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

Stephen King’s Cujo. I was about nine years old and absolutely mesmerized by how I couldn’t stop turning the pages and how absolutely terrified I was of a dog—me, a diehard dog lover! I knew King had created magic and I wanted to do that for other people.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

I’m one of those authors who came out of the womb clutching a pencil and a notebook. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love writing or telling stories. I think blood and ink are mixed together in my veins!

Of Princes and Promises is the second installment in your Rosetta Academy series and it releases on June 8^th 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Glamorous, intriguing, swoony, mysterious, enchanting!

What can readers expect?

Of Princes and Promises, like Of Curses and Kisses (Rosetta Academy #1), is a loose, contemporary fairy tale retelling. This time, I chose to “makeover” The Frog Prince. It’s literally a makeover story, but gender-bent: the hero is the one who gets a makeover to win over the girl of his dreams. There’s a magical (or is it?) hair gel at play, and some very interesting twists and turns I hope readers won’t see coming!

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

This was my first time writing a protagonist who’d been portrayed as a minor antagonist in book one! I expected it to be a lot more challenging than it was; once I got to know Caterina LaValle and what really made her tick, she easily became one of my most favorite heroines I’ve ever written. My editor, too, told me the same thing—that she was surprised by how much she absolutely adored Caterina—and that makes me so happy!

Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring further in this new installment?

See my note about Caterina above! I love that feeling as a writer, when characters you think you know surprise you so completely. Those are the times when writing feels truly magical, as if these are real people running around in an alternate universe and I somehow have a pipeline in to them (or maybe that just makes me sound totally weird!).

Can you give us a little tease as to what’s to come in the third book without torturing us too much?!

Haha, absolutely! Book three will follow DE (who we met in Of Curses and Kisses and see more of in Of Princes and Promises) and a brand-new hero I’m having so much fun dreaming up! It’s going to be a retelling of Sleeping Beauty—but don’t worry, DE is very much awake for the duration of the book! I’m playing with the concept of “being asleep” and how that might affect not just DE, but Rosetta Academy as a whole…

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

One of the best (there are too many to list them all!): Don’t save your best lines/jokes/ideas for a future book. Write them into whatever book you’re currently working on. You’ll have more and better ideas in the future!

Worst: Write what you know. No, no, no. Write what you dream. Write what fires you up. Write your passion. Just do your research first.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on plotting and drafting book 3 in the Rosetta Academy series and after that, I have something simmering that’s a bit of a departure from my usual fare—but that I hope will have readers as excited as I am!

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

• A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow
• Slay by Brittney Morris
• Anything by Becky Albertalli or Mackenzi Lee

…And so many more!

Will you be picking up Of Princes and Promises? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Sandhya Menon, Author of ‘Of Princes and Promises’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Readers will first fall in love with the cover as I was utterly enthralled by how charming the protagonist felt just from how the cover was chosen to be designed. In the book, Pinky Kumar is perfectly depicted on the cover with her wide smiled, passionate, coloured hair, living loudly, and just lovely overall. Pinky was all of this and faces many things that one would deal with at that age: struggling to connect with parents, comparing themselves to others, finding yourself and what you want,and struggling to both conform and not wanting to conform at the same time. Pinky is passionate; she’s impassioned by her thoughts and her goals and she keeps at them no matter how many obstacles come her way. She’s steadfast and opinionated … but she’s also vulnerable, a little lost, and longing to connect with her mother. She’d jump to the save the environment or help someone before they even finish asking, but she doesn’t know what to do or what to say when it comes to reaching out to her mother. Doesn’t that feel familiar? Isn’t that all of us at some point in our lives?

Samir Jha on the other hand is the very opposite of Pinky. Where Pinky is loud, Samir is quiet, where she is outspoken and impulsive, he’s contemplative and a planner, where she’ll never stop, he’s likely to be practical, cut his losses and leave. The one thing they have in common is everything that they feel for each other, which is absolute disregard.

Despite seeming the more perfect between the two, Samir is just as flawed as Pinky and they’re both just as vulnerable. He’d been crying out for help and strangely enough, the universe seems to have heard him.

The author reminds us very gently that everything that we think we perceive about someone can flip in a minute once you get to know them and you may come to find a strange kinship with someone you never thought had anything in common with. I say this not just about a romantic relationship. This whole book is about these kind of connections; between cousins, with a parent, or even strangers. You may never know the wounds that others hold or how close their pain resonates to your own until you look away from yourself.

Almost every aspect of the relationships around Pinky are covered; her relationship with her parents, her peers, her cousin, and of course, her fake-boyfriend. The author delves into the many facets of these relationships that can appear under the spotlight that is life. I enjoyed seeing them because of how normal they were, especially when time and emotions interact suddenly and at the same time in a relationship. Pinky’s life unravels in a way that brings many truths to light, including those that involve her.

My only frustration with the book was that the focus was more on Pinky, which means that there were some things that felt brushed over in Samir’s life. We don’t get to watch his issues untangle, but only see the result of everything having fallen in place. Despite the heavier focus on Pinky, I do feel I would’ve loved to see a better outcome for Pinky and her mother’s relationship because of how wonderfully it built up. The resolve felt a little rushed simply because it didn’t unravel as intricately as it was threaded into place.

However, despite all this, the book brought me lots of smiles and emotion and none of this took away from the over-all feeling of goodness that I walked away with. My previous book having been a heavy one, 10 Things I Hate About Pinky was the perfect light-hearted but emotional remedy for it.

10 Things I Hate About Pinky is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 21st 2020.

Will you be picking up 10 Things I Hate About Pinky? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

The follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie follows Pinky and Samir as they pretend to date—with disastrous and hilarious results.

Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny-tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe.

Samir Jha might have a few . . . quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady.

Pinky loves lazy summers at her parents’ Cape Cod lake house, but after listening to them harangue her about the poor decisions (aka boyfriends) she’s made, she hatches a plan. Get her sorta-friend-sorta-enemy, Samir—who is a total Harvard-bound Mama’s boy—to pose as her perfect boyfriend for the summer. As they bicker their way through lighthouses and butterfly habitats, sparks fly, and they both realize this will be a summer they’ll never forget.

The post Review: 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Loveless by Alice Oseman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

This wise, warm and witty story of identity and self-acceptance sees Alice Oseman on towering form as Georgia and her friends discover that true love isn’t limited to romance. 

B*WITCH by Paige McKenzie an d Nancy Ohlin
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

With an inclusive cast of teen witches who leap off the page with style, attitude, and charm, B*Witch is a singable read perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Mean Girls alike.

The Girl in the White Van by April Henry
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A teen is snatched after her kung fu class and must figure out how to escape—and rescue another kidnapped prisoner—in this chilling YA mystery.

Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Damsel meets A Heart in a Body in the World in this incisive and lyrical feminist fairy tale about a princess determined to save her sisters from a curse, even if it means allying herself with the very witch who cast it.

This Is My America by Kim Johnson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Dear Martin meets Just Mercy in this unflinching yet uplifting YA novel that explores the racist injustices in the American justice system.

10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie follows Pinky and Samir as they pretend to date—with disastrous and hilarious results.

Faith: Taking Flight by Julie Murphy
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’, comes the first in a two-book origin story of Faith, a groundbreaking, plus-sized superhero from the Valiant Entertainment comics.

Unravel the Dusk (The Blood of Stars #2) by Elizabeth Lim
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Maia Tamarin proved her skill as a tailor when she wove the dresses of the sun, the moon, and the stars, but it will take more than a beautiful gown to hide the darkness rising up within her. . . . The stakes are higher than ever in this breathtaking sequel to Spin the Dawn, perfect for fans of Six of Crows.

Gimme Everything You Got by Iva-Marie Palmer
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A feminist, sex-positive, and hilarious rom-com about a girl in 1970s Chicago trying everything she can to score—on and off the soccer field.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse…

The Extraordinaries by T.J. Klune
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Some people are extraordinary. Some are just extra. TJ Klune’s YA debut, The Extraordinaries, is a queer coming-of-age story about a fanboy with ADHD and the heroes he loves.

More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In More Than Maybe, Erin Hahn’s swooniest book yet, Luke and Vada must decide how deep their feelings run and what it would mean to give love a try.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rebelwing by Andrea Tang
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Set in a wonderfully inventive near-future Washington, D.C., this hilarious, defiant debut sparkles with wit and wisdom, deftly exploring media consumption, personal freedoms, and the weight of one life as Pru, rather reluctantly, takes to the skies.

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

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

Break the Fall by Jennifer Iacopelli
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Audrey Lee is going to the Olympics. A year ago, she recovered from a spine surgery. Now, the pressure for perfection is higher than ever. Balancing the tenuous relationship between her teammates with unparalleled expectations, Audrey doesn’t need any more distractions. But with painful revelations, incredible odds, and the very real possibility of falling at every turn, will Audrey’s determination be enough?

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

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

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

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

What Kind of Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Girl in Pieces meets Moxie in this unflinching exploration of all the hurts young women endure.

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

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

Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi comes the first novel in a brand-new series set at an elite international boarding school, that’s a contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast.

The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Bachelorette goes to space in this gripping story about a young girl caught in a world of royal intrigue and lost love in her quest to save her family from ruin.

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

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

We had the pleasure of chatting to author Sandhya Menon about her new novel, Of Curses and Kisses! Sandhya tells us about its inspiration, what’s next for her including the next instalment of the series, book recommendations, and more!

Hi Sandhya! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi! I’m Sandhya Menon, the author of many swoony, kiss-filled romances including the New York Times bestseller When Dimple Met Rishi and my latest, Of Curses and Kisses. There are few things I adore more than writing heart-fluttering scenes about true love, and I’m so excited to be here!

Your new novel, Of Curses and Kisses, publishes on February 18^th. If you could only use five words to describe it, what would they be?

Glamorous, intriguing, star-crossed lovers!

Now tell us more! What can readers expect?

Oh, good! Having only five words to describe it was torture! Of Curses and Kisses is a boarding school-set Beauty and the Beast retelling about modern-day royals. It follows an Indian princess who’s hellbent on revenge and the misanthropic British aristocrat she must trick into falling in love with her. There’s also a very mysterious family curse that may have something to do with the rose pendant our princess wears around her neck…

Where did the inspiration for Of Curses and Kisses come from?

I’ve always had a deep and abiding love for boarding school novels, as well as fairy tale retellings. I remember thinking, when I was in the middle of watching Gossip Girl, “I wish there was a series that was set at a boarding school, but was also a series of contemporary fairy tale retellings, that had Gossip Girl vibes.” And then I went, “Oh, wait a minute. I’m an author!”

Was there a certain character, scene, or piece of dialogue that you really enjoyed writing?

So many! This book was truly such an enjoyable one to get lost into. Let’s see; there’s a particular scene in a hot tub that was so much fun to write, as well as a scene with a snowball fight that ends in a soul-melting kiss!

Of Curses and Kisses is the first novel in the St. Rosetta’s Academy series. Can you give us a little teaser as to what comes next?

With pleasure! The next two books are set in the same universe (and in the same boarding school) and will follow different main characters and different fairy tales. I just finished drafting book two, which will be a loose retelling of The Frog Prince!

Your first novel, When Dimple Met Rishi, published in 2017. Has your writing process changed at all over the years and what is the most important thing you have learned?

It’s changed in so many explicit and implicit ways! I think writers are ever-evolving beings, which is the way it should be. Art shouldn’t stagnate, in my opinion. The most important thing I’ve learned has been how to be a better, more thorough plotter. I don’t enjoy editing too much, so the cleaner my first draft is, the better!

You also have 10 Things I Hate About Pinky releasing in June. Was there any overlap while writing your 2020 releases?

No, and it was planned that way! I can’t work on two different novels at the same time; my brain just doesn’t work that way, unfortunately. I tend to get completely immersed in my fictional universes when I’m writing, even going so far as to dream about my characters hanging out with me when I’m working on their stories! So I made sure I budgeted time to finish one book before diving into the next.

What’s next for you?

I just finished working on book two in the St. Rosetta’s Academy universe, as I mentioned, and I can’t wait for readers to be able to pick it up! I’m also super-excited to dive into edits on my very first adult rom-com, Make Up Break Up, due out in 2021!

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

Recently I’ve read and loved Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan and Light Years by Kass Morgan!

Bio: Sandhya Menon is the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi, Of Curses and Kisses, and many other novels that also feature lots of kissing, girl power, and swoony boys. Her books have been included in several cool places, including the Today show, Teen Vogue, NPR, BuzzFeed, and Seventeen. A full-time dog servant and part-time writer, she makes her home in the foggy mountains of Colorado. Visit her online at SandhyaMenon.com. You can find Sandhya on Instagram and Twitter.

Will you be picking up Of Curses and Kisses? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Sandhya Menon, Author of ‘Of Curses and Kisses’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In Of Curses and Kisses, due to a leaked photo of Jaya’s sister Isha, the Rao sisters are forced to leave their home country and enrol at St. Rosetta Academy in Aspen. Far from home, Jaya feels more determined than ever to protect her sister and to fulfil her plan to seek revenge on the boy who is responsible for their misery: Grey Emerson.

Despite the fact that Grey has a handful of friends, he prefers to be a lone wolf. He does not want to be near anyone too long so that no one can feel attached to him or vice versa. One day, the Rao sisters show up on the boarding school”s doorstep and if that was not enough, one of them is mocking him by wearing the cursed ruby in a form of a rose pendant around her neck. Probably to remind him that he soon will die on his 18th birthday to be precise. But is there a chance to break the curse? Could it really be possible? In the end, they need each other to save themselves from their planned future of which they both thought they could never run away from…

Jaya is the first born, a princess, and she has known for all her life that she will end up marrying not for love, but for her country. She feels the pressure and the responsibility of her dynasty on her shoulders and does everything she can do to put her sister Isha back on the path that is suitable for young women of their position. It is just the way it is, why bother to think there could be a way out?

Her character is the stereotypical good and loyal daughter who is raised after an old model of society that once had a higher meaning. Nowadays, most countries accept their royal families, but they do not have anything to say anymore when it comes to leading a country. There is no place for something like that in the modern world we are living in. No wonder Jaya thinks everything is normal and the way it should be, because she never knew that there is a possibility to take another path. One where not everything is planned out by a codex or simply because “it has to be that way”. But, Jaya will soon learn that there is no shame in being at least a bit selfish.

While Jaya is the perfect royal daughter, Isha is quite the opposite. You could call her a rebel, if being a genius mechanic and loving the modern way of life is falling within that category. Isha’s life choices brought the Rao sisters to St. Rosetta Academy as a picture of Isha working at a motorcycle workshop leaked to the public, which made the Indian population furious. This caused the people to say that someone like her is not fit to lead or represent their country properly one day. Well, was Queen Elizabeth II not a mechanic during World War II? And look where she ended up being…

Jaya was told that the ones responsible for the leak are the Emerson’s, a royal British family of which their heir is a student at Jaya’s new school. Of course, she makes up a plan quickly to let him feel as bad as her family feels right now. However, Grey does not know of anything that had happened to the sisters, because he is so deep in minding his own business that he simply would not have the time to think about anything like that. Abandoned by his father, who blames him to be the reason why his mother died, Grey heard that he is cursed because of what his ancestors stole from the Rao’s centuries back. Knowing that, he never thought about living a normal life. All he wants is to be left alone, waiting for the day when it will all be over.

Here comes the big difference between the original tale and Menon’s story. In the tale, the Beast is desperate to be cured, to find the one who will end his suffering. Grey is not interested in this at all. He has accepted his fate and kind of made peace with it. The only thing he is truly suffering from is the fact that his father has never wanted him and that because of knowing about the curse, he has always stopped himself to make friends or go out on a date with a beautiful girl.

In Of Curses and Kisses, the girl does not become a princess and turn the Beast back into a human. Menon rather shows you what can be accomplished when you stop believing what others tell you and what can happen if you choose your own path and decide for yourself what makes you happy. I for one cannot wait to see what St. Rosetta Academy has in store in the second volume.

Of Curses and Kisses is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of February 18th 2020.

Will you be picking up Of Curses and Kisses? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

From the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi comes the first novel in a brand-new series set at an elite international boarding school, that’s a contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast.

Will the princess save the beast?

For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn her in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?

His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse by a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed once he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s lived an isolated existence—until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…

As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending.

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Over the last couple of years, the Young Adult Contemporary genre has become an inclusive place for authors across all backgrounds. Names like Nicola Yoon, Angie Thomas, Jenny Han, Mary H. K. Choi, Sandhya Menon, Tahereh Mafi, Nina LaCour, Adam Silvera, and many more line the Young Adult shelves in bookstores like Barnes & Noble. Young people of all races, ethnicities, disabilities, and sexualities are being represented like never before. From cute, quirky romances to gripping, hard-hitting works of fiction, YA Contemporary continues to range in a variety of topics while introducing readers to new and diverse authors.

Diversity is finally here. But how did it happen?

What began as a passing trend in 2014 has quickly become a revolution to change to face of YA Contemporary entirely. An outcry for more diversity from book bloggers and vloggers began in 2014 and is a continuing fight today. Where other genres are still lacking (though not without some monumental strides), Young Adult Contemporary in particular has opened up the door to tons of debut authors writing fresh, memorable characters representing a wide range of minority groups.

It’s crazy to see how much the genre has changed in the past five years alone. In 2014, John Green’s The Fault in our Stars was taking over the readership and all anyone could talk about ahead of its movie release, and we were still riding the high of YA Dystopian with Veronica Roth’s Divergent trilogy. Neither book had an ounce of racial or sexual diversity. Little did we know the small strides made that year by own-voice authors would soon take over the YA genre.

Jenny Han’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before brought us an adorable, rom-com-y romance featuring a Korean-American protagonist in 2014. This sweet story came three years after Han wrapped up her first trilogy, The Summer I Turned Pretty series, which did not feature any POC main characters. Nina LaCour brought us a stunning novel about film featuring a female-female romance with Everything Leads to You in 2014 as well. The following year Nicola Yoon’s Everything, Everything brought us a SickLit romance featuring a black protagonist to rival The Fault in our Stars, but with a twist instead of a death at the end. But what really blew everything out of the water was Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, a book inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement released in 2017 and of which still remains high on the New York Times best seller list. For reviewers in the book community, these novels were great strides in spreading diversity. But as per usual in YA literature, the rest of the world wouldn’t hear about them until their movie trailers dropped.

It’s possible the publishing industry took note and decided diversity can sell. It’s also possible that reviewers were finally heard in their cry for representation. Maybe the industry simply thought it was finally time that minority voices were finally heard. But whatever the reason, one fact must remain clear: diversity is not a trend or a genre. It’s a presence. It’s what we should’ve seen in the genre years ago, and what other genres are only now beginning to catch up to.

Progress has been made, but how has this changed reader-opinions? For starters, book bloggers and book vloggers have changed the way they review books. Many reviewers include trigger warnings in their reviews for anyone who might be sensitive to certain topics. Trigger warnings were often considered as spoilers to many readers, but the tide has begun to change and the need to protect readers has taken priority over potentially ruining the book for interested readers.

When promoting books, reviewers may also mention if/what ways a title is diverse as an interest point. Authors who have written minimal or nonexistent diversity in their books are being called out on social media, and discussion about progress and the importance of readers seeing themselves in the books they read has been talked about during book conferences and panels. Casual readers have shared their excitement of being represented over social media platforms.

The world around us is changing and it’s important that the media we consume reflects that. Most especially the books we read. While we might read for pleasure, books are meant to enrich our lives and teach us important lessons about the world around us. Diversity is not the end-all be-all, but it is an essential aspect that must be present in the literature we create and consume in order to reflect the world around us. Now that YA Contemporary has seemed to catch up on this fact, it’s time for other genres to follow suit.

Do you have a favourite author in this genre? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The New Faces of the YA Contemporary Genre appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

I want to change lives with my films and show people what a Desi girl can do.

Say hi to Twinkle. She calls herself an invisible wallflower and her biggest dream is to make movies that will touch people. Oh, and there is a certain boy on the school swim team, Neil Roy, who happens to be Twinkle’s crush. And then there is Sahil. A huge film fan and he has a crush on Twinkle since forever. Oh, and he is Neil’s twin brother.

Told from the perspectives of both Twinkle and Sahil, Twinkle lives a quiet life with her parents and her grandmother and thinks that no one is taking note of her and that her parents do not love her. So, she writes letters in her diary to famous female directors like Sofia Coppola and Kathryn Bigelow and tells them about her dreams and feelings.

When her best friend Maddie spends more time with a new group of friends she made, she feels more alone than ever and daydreams about being Neil’s girlfriend.

One day she meets Sahil in a cafe and starts talking to him. The next day Sahil hears how she talked to Maddie about the school play of Midsummer Night and while Maddie encourages Twinkle to ask for permission to do a movie out of it, Sahil offers to be the producer of this project.

We learn that Twinkle is caught up in the movie project and receiving e-mails from a secret admire called “N”, which she is hoping that he turns out to be Neil. However, it turns out Sahil has been madly in love with her since he was 11 and only thanks to his two best friends, he finds the courage to make the first step to talk to her at the cafe.

Geeks are smart and talented and passionate. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

From Twinkle, With Love explores making your dreams come true while dealing with first loves and trying to find her place in a work field primarily dominated by men.

Sometimes I worry I don’t know who I really am. Sometimes I’m afraid nothing I do will ever be enough to set me apart.

As the story continues, Twinkle forgets more and more about her crush on Neil and sees Sahil for who he is and slowly falls for him. However, Twinkle is so caught up in her own fantasy and dealing with so much emotions at once that she does not see how Sahil is desperately trying to get her attention. Twinkle learns that to go after the guy who can give you a better social status is not the right thing to do. Instead, better run after the better man who is there for you even when you have a break down and no one understands why and makes you a better person.

When I’m with you, I feel I can breathe.

Sandhya Menon has done it again with this only her second novel. She takes you on a journey into a wonderful story with fun and a lot of nerdiness combined with a mix of American and Indian culture.

Her debut novel When Dimple Met Rishi focused on Dimple who wanted to break free from the Indian traditions, live a life of her own, find out who she is, and how she can find a balance between her Indian heritage and the modern life she want to live. Menon’s debut caused to become a New York Times and national Indie bestselling author in 2017.

You can feel through every word and sentence how important her roots are her and this makes her books so special. Not only does she bring Indian culture to the forefront, but she also gives you a nice funny and geeky story that is so easy to read and leaves an imprint of lightness on your heart.

You can follow Sandhya Menon on her official website, Twitter and Instagram.

Find From Twinkle, With Love on Amazon, Book Depository, and at other good book retailers.

Have you read From Twinkle, With Love? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?

Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.

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