Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff, which releases on February 3rd 2026.

What’s your myth?

Penelope Weaver has spent her whole life preparing to attend Anaximander’s Academy, where students learn how to bring to life the stories of Greek mythology as well as discover the Greek god whose principles they most embody. Penelope knows she’s an Athena—all smart, practical, and rule-following girls who take part in stories that matter are Athenas.

But when Penelope and her twin brother Paris arrive at Anaximander’s, it appears fate has other plans. Penelope isn’t placed with Athena but with students who are anything but practical and who prefer parties to rules. And that’s just the beginning. She’s given the world’s worst muse, her assigned tasks feel impossible, and the magic of Anaximander’s is overwhelming. Not to mention, there are two very different boys making her new life even more confusing.

But as things go from bad to dangerously worse, one thing becomes clear: in a world where everything is fated to happen a certain way, some stories need to be rewritten. As the world around her shifts and cracks, Penelope is asked to forget everything she thought she knew to help create a better story…even if that changes every plan and breaks every rule.

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The post Read An Excerpt From ‘The Aftermyth’ by Tracy Wolff appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

To me, It Happened on a Sunday represents all that and more.

The blurb immediately hints at who may have been the spark of inspiration that led the author down the path that created these characters in this particular world. It both interested and worried me at first, wondering if I would be able to get lost in it or if I would find myself unable to shake the original couple from my mind.

It was the single most pleasant experience to note that one page in, the author’s writing ensures you see nothing but Sloane and Sly. Author Tracy Wolff adopts a really smart and interesting choice of writing; where the length of the book is not influenced by the number of events that take place in it, but rather, by the depth with which each event is delved into. There are perhaps… ten prominent situations that take place through the whole book, within which Wolff tells her whole story. Having gotten used to big books usually being peppered with several shorter filler scenes and only two or three longer important scenes, I enjoyed reading a book with a selective number of scenes, but whose content expands across emotional, situational, personal and social interactions and struggles. Kudos to the author and her writing for being able to drown me from nearly the first moment into a world of glamour, grit and love.

Unusual as it may seem, I would say there’s a certain level of worldbuilding this book requires. A layman has very little understanding of what each day could possibly look like for a celebrity. Sure, of course, they are ultimately people like us; except imagine if everything about your life were to be fodder for the press and public to consume. The weight of this, the effect it has on an individual, the internal (and external) strides someone has to take to constantly live with and overcome the consequences of being in the limelight and (my favourite part) the subtle mention of how there’s a gender related difference to this experience as well, were all a very large part of the book. To say I was surprised (and pleased) with this book is to say the least.

The characters, are of course, the heart of any book; but with contemporary there’s a certain vulnerability the characters and the theme requires, that demands a complete baring of the soul to its readers. Sloan and Sly are much like braids, taking turns baring their hearts and pain to the reader in their own unique ways but in an eternally entwined pattern. Personally, I enjoyed that this book balanced the characters’ growth, even though it may not initially seem that way. The subtle mention of trauma being loud in some and quiet in some, but both being equally true, significant and debilitating, was so wonderful.

The plot of this book is closely associated to its characters. It is quite simply the coming together of two people who find peace in one another. Though, I will say, as simple as it sounds, it is perhaps one of the more complex plot lines to sew; since as readers we often want it to feel perfect and right, with not a single detail out of place—something we might not even demand of a fantastical theme. I did come across a few reviews that mentioned an “insta-love” aspect to this story and I would just like to make a small shift to the phrase. I would call it an insta-connection. A singular moment in time when you feel a kinship, a familiarity or a comfort with someone that intuitively makes you want to pursue a relationship with them, whether platonic or romantic or any other. To me, that’s what this story was about. A connection that’s explored with a lot of courage, communication, love, pain and healing.

The pace in this book is even for the most part, but somehow perhaps because of how the author has styled her book, you do feel like you’ve spent longer with the characters than is true and you’re sometimes impatient for the story to move forward. 

Reading It Happened on a Sunday was a sweet experience that makes me smile every time I think about it. It’s a warm hand that is holding you gently but surely, while helping you navigate out of a crowd, quietening all the bluster and having you thinking only about moving forward with them. Are you smiling yet?

Nine out of ten stars! Happy reading! Please read the list of trigger warnings before venturing into this book, it features themes that some may find difficult.

It Happened on a Sunday is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up It Happened on a Sunday? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis 

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff comes a fierce, emotional romance about two people surviving the spotlight and choosing love when everything says they shouldn’t.

They call her the Black Widow. A pop star. A tabloid tragedy. A girl who set the world on fire―and got burned in return.

But Sloane Walker doesn’t care what they say. Not anymore. The headlines, the hashtags, the rumors that never die? Let them come. She’s survived worse―like the betrayal that nearly destroyed her and the fans who blamed her for surviving. These days, she’s armor and eyeliner, singing songs that hurt and pretending they don’t.

She’s halfway through a sold-out tour and dangerously close to unraveling when a meet-and-greet throws her into the path of Mateo Sylvester―a media darling with a magnetic smile, a thriving career of his own, and a grandmother who happens to be Sloane’s biggest fan. He knows exactly how brutal the spotlight can be. He’s lived it. He’s got the press eating from his hand. She’s got a flask full of sweet tea, a voice full of ghosts, and no patience for golden boys with good intentions.

She tells herself it’s just a photo op. Just another handshake. Just another public face with private secrets and no idea what it means to bleed for your art.

But Mateo sees more than the stage persona. He sees the cracks in her smile. The songs she’s too scared to write. The girl underneath the glitter, still fighting to stay.

They weren’t supposed to fall. Not in the spotlight. Not when the world is watching. And definitely not when the people closest to them would do anything to keep them apart.

The post Review: It Happened on a Sunday by Tracy Wolff appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Tracy and Nina! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourselves?

Hi, Nina here. I’m English but I live on an almond farm in the mountains of southern Spain which I share with my other half and a whole lot of animals including two horses and a three-legged Vietnamese pot-bellied house pig. I mostly spend my days reading, writing, riding and drinking wine.

Hi, I’m Tracy I live in Austin, Texas with my partner, my three sons, and our three dogs. I spend most of my days writing and running herd on my boys and my dogs. In my spare time, I love to read, cook, and dance.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

Nina – I’ve read for as long as I can remember so I’ve loved stories all my life. As for writing—it had always been in the back of my mind but I actually started writing in my twenties. I did voluntary work in Africa for four years and lived in an isolated village on the banks of Lake Kariba. A beautiful place and a wonderful experience, except for one thing. A distinct shortage of books. This was before the existence of ebooks, and it was painful (I read a lot!) So I decided the only thing for it was to write my own. The stories I wrote in Africa never saw the light of day but writing them started me down a path that was to take over my whole life.

Tracy—I’ve loved reading my whole life (I’m the daughter of an English teacher) and there are dozens of pictures of me as a child walking around with a book in my hand. As for writing, I always say that I’ve wanted to write since I figured out that letters made words and words made sentences that I could use to tell stories. My father was an amazing storyteller and from a very young age he used to encourage me to make up stories about things that we would see or ordinary objects around us. It didn’t take long before I was doing that all on my own and I’ve pretty much been writing stories ever since.

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!

Nina – I think (hey, this was a long time ago!) the first book that made a real impression on me was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I loved the idea that there are whole different worlds out there and I could visit them all! I still read the Narnia books again every so often and still love them.

Tracy—The first book I ever remember reading is Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire. I was three or four and I loved the colors and would read it over and over again. The book that made me want to be a writer is Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret. When I was seven or eight I ran through Judy Blume’s entire lexicon of middle grade books, but it was this book in particular that I fell in love with. The book that made me want to be a romance writer is Jude Deveraux’s Velvet Angel. Her velvet series were the first romance novels I ever read—I was twelve when I read my first one—and I remember thinking that writing books about people falling in love would be the best job ever.  A book I can’t stop thinking about is The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. It’s such a beautiful, powerful book and I love it so much.

Your first co-authored novel, Star Bringer, is out July 11th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Nina – Explosive romance amid galactic chaos

Tracy—A wild, sexy, dangerous ride

What can readers expect?

Nina – A wild ride!

Tracy—Romance, intrigue, danger, enemies to friends and lovers, found family, and a whole lot of fun!

Where did the inspiration for Star Bringer come from?

Nina – the first love of my life was Han Solo, and that started a lifelong love affair with space opera and intergalactic adventuring. And since Star Wars, there have been many books, films, TV shows that have inspired me over the years. But the main inspiration for Star Bringer came from Firefly (probably my favorite TV series ever). We wanted to capture that same dynamic of a bunch of misfits, in the forced proximity of a spaceship, experiencing a rollercoaster ride of danger—all while falling in love!

Tracy—Pretty much what Nina said

Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

Nina – I loved them all—even the bad guys!

I think one of my favorite moments in the book is when Ian and Kali are on a fact-finding mission on one of the planets, and they get discovered. Kali is injured and it seems like there is no way out. Ian has the chance to save himself or to stay with Kali and die… It’s a defining moment that really shows how the characters are changing and connecting.

Tracy—Like Nina, I really did fall in love with all of the characters. One of my favorite moments is when Beckett and Rain go swimming and really connect for the first time. Beckett is one of the characters I most enjoyed writing and the confusion and vulnerability she feels as she opens herself to her feelings for Rain is one of my favorites.

Can you tell us about how you both came together to work on Star Bringer?

Nina – My agent approached me saying Entangled wanted to know if I was interested in co-authoring a new adult sci-fi romance book, inspired by Firefly, with the fabulous Tracy Wolff. I said—Hell, yeah!

Tracy—Our editor had the idea that we would work well together, and I think she was right!

What’s next for you both?

Nina – we’re working on Star Bringer 2 right now!

Tracy—I’m working on the first book in the spinoff to my Crave series. It’s called Sweet Vengeance and will be out in January!

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

Nina – If you love space opera then—if you haven’t already—try The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey. I’m currently reading it for the second time (it’s also a great TV series!) and loving it.

Tracy—I always, always, always recommend Nalini Singh. Her first thriller, A Madness of Sunshine, is one of my all time favorite books.

Will you be picking up Star Bringer? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Tracy Wolff and Nina Croft, Co-Authors of ‘Star Bringer’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt before it releases on May 30th!

It’s been over three months since my friends and I took down Cyrus. Three months where my biggest fear was what paper was due next… But I should have known it was too good to last. Now everything is falling apart.

The Vampire Court has no king, the Dragon Court has no heart, and the Gargoyle Court has me—a teenager in way over her head. And it’s the worst possible timing, because a threat is brewing just as the Circle is collapsing.

I have no choice but to return to the Shadow Realm and face the terrifying queen who nearly ended us…and make a deal with her to save Mekhi. But this time, I’m bringing my powerful friends with me—and Hudson. Except something is wrong with him, too. He’s keeping a secret—even from me.

All I know is that everyone’s life hangs in the balance. And it’s my fault—because I still owe the Crone a favor…and now she’s come to collect.

The second I open the doors, I know exactly where we are. I’ve only been in here once, but I recognize it right away. Or should I say recognize the remnants of what it once was. Cyrus’s perfectly curated, perfectly decorated office.

No one can accuse it of being perfectly anything now—except, maybe, perfectly, extraordinarily destroyed. While the outer doors remain intact, inside the room, it looks like a bomb has gone off. And unlike the other rooms we passed that are currently under renovation, no one has made any attempt to clear up the mess of the old room to make way for the new. It’s all just sitting there—overturned couches, broken paintings and sculptures, ripped-up books, torn curtains—lying under the detritus of destroyed walls and ceiling and light fixtures. The circular table that once dominated the middle has been demolished, pieces of the inlaid map—which Cyrus once used to plan attacks on paranormal factions—scattered across the floor.

I spot a sledgehammer leaning against the insides of what used to be a wall, and I realize that someone whacked away at things in here until it looked like this. Then they walked away and left it for who knows how long. Judging by the amount of plaster dust settled on everything, this wasn’t done today. Or anytime recently, for that matter.

I’m one hundred percent sure of that. I’m also one hundred percent sure that Hudson is the one who did this. And the one who left it here, like this, to rot.

He’s been to visit the Vampire Court to handle business several times since we imprisoned Cyrus, and I never thought anything of it. Now I can’t help thinking that maybe I should have. The thought of Hudson, all on his own, just whaling away at this room with a sledgehammer, makes me want to cry.

Because there’s more than rage in this shrine of rubble. More than disdain or hate or a need for vengeance. There’s also devastation. And I have no idea what to do about that—not when Hudson hasn’t spoken to me about any of this.

Not the changes to the Court.

Not the pressure to take on more responsibilities and perhaps even the throne.

And definitely not this wanton destruction. When a man who wields as much power as Hudson chooses to use a sledgehammer instead of a simple thought, you know it’s personal. More, you know there’s a lot still left to uncover.

And right now, with our friends in the middle of this quest to save Mekhi, I just wish I had a clue where to start.

Excerpted from Cherish, by Tracy Wolff. Entangled: Teen, 2023. Reprinted with permission.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Cherish’ by Tracy Wolff appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

“Red Tower Books is dedicated to delivering standout fantasy and sci-fi romance from some of the most talented writers of today,” says Molly Majumder, editorial director for Red Tower. “I’m excited to combine my love and knowledge of the genre with Entangled’s creative marketing strategies to bring these incredible stories to a wide audience of readers.”

Along with Molly Majumder, the 100% women-owned publishing company’s new imprint will be led by publishing veterans – CEO and publisher Liz Pelletier, VP of Operations Stacy Cantor Abrams, and VP of Marketing Meredith Johnson.

The imprint’s first release, scheduled for May 2, 2023, is the highly anticipated Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, an epic fantasy set at a brutal and elite war college for dragon riders, which boasts an announced first print run of 350,000. In a series of heated preempts and auctions, Fourth Wing has already sold into more than a dozen countries. Yarros says, “I’m delighted and honored to be published by Red Tower Books and to be a part of such a dynamic community of writers. I can’t wait for readers to visit the magical world in Fourth Wing and delve into the works of the other immensely talented authors on the list.”

Currently, there are seven titles slated for 2023, each with an exclusive first print run of hardcovers with special effects such as sprayed or stenciled edges, foil, or embossing. These limited-edition books will be a signature of the imprint sure to become collectibles on every reader’s shelf.

The subsequent releases will publish beginning in July 2023, with Starbringer from #1 New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff (Crave series) and Nina Croft (Breakout), The Wren in the Holly Library by USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde (The Wright series), Bloodguard by international award-winning author Cecy Robson (Weird Girls series), and The Last One by New York Times bestselling author Rachel Howzell Hall (These Toxic Things).

Tracy Wolff, whose title Starbringer is a snarky LGBTQ+ sci-fi in the vein of Firefly meets the Breakfast Club and has an impressive announced first printing of 500,000, says about the line, “Red Tower is a powerful new force in fantasy romance, and I am thrilled to have my first sci-fi romance, Starbringer, as part of their incredible launch.”

Books will be distributed globally by Macmillan in New York, and their VP of Client Services, Liz Tzetzo, adds, “Macmillan is excited to partner with Entangled on their new imprint Red Tower Books. With Entangled’s strong track record for breakout successes and highly innovative marketing, we know that Red Tower will be a huge success.”

For more information, please visit www.entangledpublishing.com and follow @redtowerbooks on Instagram!

The post Entangled Publishing To Launch New Imprint Red Tower Books appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Please scroll away if you haven’t read this series, there are spoilers for the previous books ahead!

Grace and crew barely escaped the last battle with their lives. Flint is angry at the hand that life has dealt him, Jaxon is quickly becoming unrecognisable, and Hudson is shutting down. With war looming on the horizon, Grace needs an army if they stand a chance, but, there’s still questions about her ancestry that need to be answered. Those answers might reveal more than they bargained for, and a true monster might be unleashed. Monsters, vampires, gargoyles, and Gods will battle it out. No one is coming out of this unscathed.

If that summary doesn’t just shout that there is some serious angst ahead, then this is your warning. What I love about this series is that it always picks up pretty close to where we last left off. Everything is bad for Grace and her friends. As they’re struggling to pick up the pieces of what remains of their lives, they’re essentially put back on the run, and this time, there aren’t very many places for them to go. Everyone has seemingly turned against them, and from the start, it feels like every single adult is out to make it blatantly obvious that teenagers can’t handle this. If there’s a feeling that Tracy Wolff knows how to invoke in readers, it is the absolute frustration that these characters embody on the page.

At this point in the series, there are so many threads in this story that it’s a little overwhelming at times. There are secrets that are finally revealed, and other mysteries that are brought forth that will be cleared up in the next two books (I hope). Going back to the characters for a moment though, as much angst as all of the characters are going through, the one that really threw me off was Macy. There are a lot of ways that I pictured this book going, and wanting to throttle a character wasn’t quite where I thought it would go…yet here we are. Flint’s angst, Jaxon’s anger, and even Hudson’s disassociation are quite understandable to me. Macy, on the other hand, throws caution to the wind and puts every single one of them on a collision course with death. I have so much more I want to say, but spoilers prevent me from grumbling about it like a crotchety elderly person.

The romance is always simmering, and reaches a boiling point in this book. I loved Grace and Hudson’s relationship development in this book more than the rest, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next two books. There’s respect that has been gained by both parties, and they are definitely working together to heal the incredible amount of trauma they’ve gone through. They’re shouldering so much, and I genuinely want some therapy for them in the future.

Now, I found this book hard to put down. At 700 pages, this was definitely the biggest of all of the books in the series, to the point that the font had to be resized. With that said, there were parts of this book that I felt were more filler than substance and didn’t seem to add much to the overall plot. I can’t go into more detail because of spoilers, but there were definitely parts that I felt were very minor in comparison to the major plot points we still needed to get through. The ending was also not quite a conclusion. There’s still two books left before the series finishes (I think?), and all of the loose threads will finally be tied up. That being said, everything is pretty fast paced, so I don’t think readers will have a long wait to find out what will happen next.

I definitely enjoyed this journey, despite being frustrated for quite a lot of it. I have grown fond of Grace and co., and will definitely miss them when this journey is all said and done. This one is a 7/10 for me, because I felt like the last book had a bit more substance than this one. I am looking forward for what will come next though, because I do want to find out what happened during the four months that Grace was frozen with Hudson.

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

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

No one survived the last battle unscathed. Flint is angry at the world, Jaxon is turning into something I don’t recognize, and Hudson has put up a wall I’m not sure I’ll ever break through.

Now war is coming, and we’re not ready. We’re going to need an army to have any hope of winning. But first, there are questions about my ancestors that need answers. Answers that might just reveal who the real monster is among us.

And that’s saying something in a world filled with bloodthirsty vampires, immortal gargoyles, and an ancient battle between two gods.

There’s no guarantee that anyone will be left standing when the dust settles, but if we want to save this world, I have no choice. I’ll have to embrace every part of me…even the parts I fear the most.

The post Review: Court by Tracy Wolff appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Before we get too far ahead, this is going to be the review of the third book in the Crave series! Please don’t spoil yourself and make sure to go back and read the other two before you jump into this one!

So, as if her life at Katmere Academy wasn’t already intense enough, after the events of the Bloodletter, Grace’s relationship is in shambles and a war is brewing. On top of just trying to graduate, she’ll also have to avoid her and Hudson’s arrest for supposed crimes they’ve committed. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Get ready for new relationships, new discoveries as well as betrayals. No one at Katmere is safe.

Few books I’ve read feel as fast paced as this one. Considering the 700 plus pages that is Covet, I feel like I managed to read and finish this book in a matter of hours. Blink and you’ll miss an important piece of information that will definitely become relevant later. I had a lot more trouble with Covet than the other two books, and I think that was partially because of Grace. While she’s got a lot going on in this book, I feel like her behaviours were more frustrating than in the previous two books. Sure, everything is happening pretty quickly, but I feel like in the previous books she had some time to really grow and reflect, while in Covet, she acted on her impulses quite a lot.

Readers will delight (or maybe not) in what’s going on in Grace’s romantic life. By the end of Crush, a bond was severed. By far, this was the part of the story that captivated me the most because I knew there was something more to the story than there was. Boy was I not disappointed! Not only do we get the angst of not having the bond and its consequences, but there’s also the exploration of how to move on after it’s happened. I think that readers will definitely be split among who they’re rooting for in the relationship at the beginning, but maybe by the end everyone will be rooting for the same team *wink*.

The world that Tracy Wolff has built encompasses a lot of supernatural creatures, and was delighted to find the addition of a new group to the mix. It adds a layer of adventure to the story that I wasn’t expecting, and I honestly loved the way that it was woven into the story. I’m VERY curious what Grace’s connection is to all of it, because there are some hints in the story that lead me to believe that the connection that Grace has to all of this is going to be even more important in the final book. We also get some fascinating lore and mythology that made this book hard for me to put down. I’m always ready for some amazing creation mythology.

Even though the book moves fast, I do still think that it does slow down enough for readers to enjoy some of the more romantic aspects of this book. Of the three books, I feel like this one was potentially a bit steamier than the previous two, but that might have just been me. On the flip side of the coin, I didn’t quite care for the name dropping of clothing brands or of the famous series that inspired these books, but that’s just me. I think others might love those connections to it, but for me it did feel like it was trying really hard to be something more, when it stands pretty solidly on it’s own already.

Nerds, I won’t lie to you. I do feel like this book is made for the adult teenager within us all that connected to a book series that changed the landscape of YA. Despite that, the Crave series does bring something new to this genre that I don’t think we’d had in a while. To me, the amount of angst between all of these teenagers just screams high school, and reminds me of the dramatic days where it felt like everything hinged on these “life or death” decisions that don’t seem as important now. I think it allows for a blending of readers to enjoy this book really well, because adult YA readers can reminisce about fonder times, and new readers can connect with characters that are like them. If you fall in either of these categories, then I definitely think you should add it to your TBR list because you’ll fall in love with it!

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

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

I may have reached my breaking point. As if trying to graduate from a school for supernaturals isn’t stressful enough, my relationship status has gone from complicated to a straight-up dumpster fire.

Oh, and the Bloodletter has decided to drop a bomb of epic proportions on us all…

Then again, when has anything at Katmere Academy not been intense?

And the hits just keep coming. Jaxon’s turned colder than an Alaskan winter. The Circle is splintered over my upcoming coronation. As if things couldn’t get worse, now there’s an arrest warrant for Hudson’s and my supposed crimes—which apparently means a lifetime prison sentence with a deadly unbreakable curse.

Choices will have to be made…and I fear not everyone will survive.

The post Review: Covet by Tracy Wolff appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

We had the pleasure of chatting to Tracy about her new release, writing, and so much more!

Would you please give us a short intro to who you are and what you write? 

Hmm … well, I am Tracy Wolff and I write young adult novels about things that go bump in the night—namely vampires, dragons, witches, and werewolves. I’m a mom, a former writing professor, and a massive reader. I also love to cook and I’ve never met a lipstick I didn’t like J

Covet is the third book in the Crave series. Can you tell readers about the plot in Covet without giving away anything?

In Covet, my  main character Grace, really comes into her own. She has a whole lot of adventure and more than a little romance, and she kicks all the butt. It’s a really fun, but also really emotional book and I had a blast writing it. 

What is the most challenging thing about writing such a complex series? 

I’ve had so much fun writing this series, but I have to admit that keeping all the worldbuilding straight is challenging. The Crave series has a really big world, one that keeps growing with each installment, and we’ve had to put together a really complex bible to make sure I keep all the details straight.

Did you always plan to be a writer?

Pretty much, yes. I wrote my first short story when I was seven, and I’ve never looked back. I’ve wanted to write since I understood that letters made words and words made sentences that could tell a story.

What were your career goals as a child/young adult? 

I’ve always wanted to write—that’s it. When I was young, I also wanted to teach English or be a make-up artist. I ended up as an English professor/writer for a while, before I was able to quit and write full time. As for the make-up artist part, I’ve settled for doing the makeup for all my friends at their weddings and other special events.

Whose writing inspires you and why? 

Oh, this is a really hard question because the answer is so many. SO MANY. Off the top of my head … Maya Angelou, because her writing is beautiful and honest and it hurts just a little. Nalini Singh, because she can tell one hell of a story. Emily Dickinson, because she used so few words to evoke so much. Sherry Thomas, because she writes such beautiful prose. Rachel Caine, because her characters are so fierce and her worlds are so brilliant.

What was the first piece of writing you ever had published?

A poem I wrote when I was in ninth grade, in a local San Diego magazine called Chimera.

Was there a moment in your writing career where you thought, “Okay, now I am officially a REAL writer?” Can you tell us about that time in your life?

I think the day I got the call that my first novel was being published was a big day for the whole “I’m a real writer” moment. But, besides that, I would say in 2014 when I hit the New York Times Bestseller list for the first time and realized I could support myself and my family with only my writing was the definitive moment for me. Like, okay, I can really do this J And how lucky am I that I get to make a living doing my dream job?

If you weren’t a writer, what other job would you want to have and why?

I loved being a writing professor, so I would probably have continued doing that.

Do you have a set writing schedule? What do you need to have near you (or NOT need) in order to write?

I like to write in the morning—like early  morning, from four-thirty to noon. But the Crave schedule has been pretty grueling- they are big books and I only have a couple months to write each one, so I’ve been writing twelve to sixteen hours a day most days. I need my laptop, a word count sheet (decorated with stickers) that I use to count off the words I’ve written, a cup of coffee or tea, and when things are going really well or really bad, I need chocolate to keep going.

We know there is a fourth and final book in the Crave series called Court. What will you do when the Crave series is complete? You’ve spent a lot of time with the crew at Katmere Academy! Will you be sad to let the characters go?

I’ll be so sad to let the characters go. I love all of them and will miss them so much. As for what comes next, I have ideas for two new series, so we’ll see what happens …

Advice for writers – what was the easiest thing about getting published, the most surprising thing, and the hardest thing about getting published?

The easiest thing about getting published was … it wasn’t easy, actually, but it was totally worth it J  The most surprising thing about being published is the love and care that goes in to each book, and just how many people work on the book from conception inside my head to the final product sitting on bookstore shelves. It really does take a village, and I’m so lucky to be working with the most amazing village in the world at Entangled right now. The hardest thing about being published was learning that it is a marathon not a sprint. To be successful and really make a career as a writer, you have to take the long view of things.

What is one thing you wish readers knew about you?

That I love hearing from them and talking to them. I’m a single mom, who also takes care of my mom (who lives with me), so I don’t always have the time to write back in a timely manner. But I love retweeting their stuff or dropping a quick reply to them on instagram or in my FB Wolff pack, whenever I can. I have the best fans in the world, sincerely, and I feel so, so lucky and grateful that they’ve embraced the Crave series the way that they have.

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

The post Q&A: Tracy Wolff, Author of ‘Covet’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

So before I summarise Crush, I want to say that this is the review of a sequel, so if you haven’t picked up Crave, get on that one first . You don’t want to miss out on the events of the last book, trust me! Plus, this one is going to be a little difficult to summarise without spoiling the ending of the previous book. You’ve been warned.

Grace is back at Katmere after basically being frozen as a statue for a few months. Everything feels weird and different, and she has no good recollection of what happened before. However, Hudson is also back with a vengeance, and insisting that there are things she doesn’t know about Jaxon that could tear them apart forever. The Circle and the Vampire Court are out to play and both sides want to drag Grace into their worlds, but leaving Katmere means certain death. Unless they can come together to defeat the evil that has risen, everyone’s lives are at stake.

One of my favourite things about this book is the fact that the publishing date got moved up to September of this year! I was definitely pulled in from the beginning, and it honestly felt like it picked up right where it left off. The reactions to Grace’s sudden reappearance ranged from funny to more romantic, and I enjoyed seeing how she got caught up with everyone, including Jaxon. Despite the size, I definitely felt like I was moving through the book very quickly, even if it took me a few days to finish. Like Crave, each chapter has a funny little quip at the start that hints to the reader about what might be happening.

There’s quite a lot happening in this book, and I won’t lie, there were a couple of times I had to stop and re-read. My favourite chapter just so happens to be Fe, Fi, Fo, F*ck….so let me know when you get there, I’d love to chat about it! There’s Hudson, The Circle, the Vampire Court, and there are quite a few reveals happening that will make readers’ jaws drop. Grace is struggling with her memory, and the frustration translated well I feel, because at one point, I was feeling exactly the same way. The poor girl seems to find more questions than she does answers, and finds herself questioning her relationship with Jaxon at times.

I do feel like the story built up to a pretty intense climax, much like Crave, and definitely has a Crave-style ending that is going to make some readers mad, and others excited. I’m unsure of how I feel about the developments of the ending, but I am POSITIVE it’s going to make for some pretty intense drama in the next book. We also get to see a new perspective come into the story, and I’m eager to find out just how this is all going to play out.

While I’d love to go on, I don’t want to get into any spoilers, so I’ll end my review here. There were a few times I did feel like it might be going a little too quickly, but honestly as long as you’re reading carefully, it will go by fast. I’m excited to see this go out into more reader’s hands and I’m positive that it will be just as much of a hit as before. If you’re here for the romantic drama, there’s certainly more of it to be had, and just WAIT until you read that ending.

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

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

Everything feels off—especially me. I’ve returned to Katmere Academy, but I’m haunted by fragments of days I have no recollection of living and struggling to understand who, or what, I really am.

Just when I start to feel safe again, Hudson is back with a vengeance. He insists there are secrets I don’t know about, threatening to drive a wedge between Jaxon and me forever. But far worse enemies are at our doorstep.

The Circle is caught in a power play and the Vampire Court is trying to drag me out of my world and into theirs. The only thing Hudson and Jaxon agree on is that leaving Katmere would mean my certain death.

And not only am I fighting for my life, but now everyone else’s is at stake—unless we can defeat an unspeakable evil. All I know is that saving the people I love is going to require sacrifice.

Maybe more than I’m able to give.

The post Review: Crush by Tracy Wolff appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

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

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

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

The Loop by Ben Oliver
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Life inside The Loop-the futuristic death row for teens under eighteen-is one long repetitive purgatory. But when news of the encroaching chaos in the outside world reaches the inmates and disorder begins to strike, the prison becomes the least of their worries. Perfect for fans of The Fifth Wave and The Darkest Minds.

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

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

So This is Love by Elizabeth Lim
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

What if Cinderella never tried on the glass slipper? Unable to prove that she’s the missing princess, and unable to bear life under Lady Tremaine any longer, Cinderella attempts a fresh start, looking for work at the palace as a seamstress. But when the Grand Duke appoints her to serve under the king’s visiting sister, Cinderella becomes witness to a grand conspiracy to take the king-and the prince-out of power, as well as a longstanding prejudice against fairies, including Cinderella’s own Fairy Godmother.

Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

Time of Our Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
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A reflective, romantic coming-of-age novel that explores life after high school–perfect for fans of Fangirl and Emergency Contact.

This Boy by Lauren Myracle
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Lauren Myracle brings her signature frank, funny, and insightful writing to this novel of a teenage boy’s coming-of-age.

Crave by Tracy Wolff
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

My whole world changed when I stepped inside the academy. Here I am, a mere mortal among gods…or monsters. Then there’s Jaxon Vega, a vampire with deadly secrets  and there’s something about him that calls to me. Which could spell death for us all. Because Jaxon walled himself off for a reason. And now someone wants to wake a sleeping monster, and I’m wondering if I was brought here intentionally—as the bait.

They Went Left by Monica Hesse
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A tour de force historical mystery from Monica Hesse, the bestselling and award-winning author of Girl in the Blue Coat.

Don’t Call the Wolf by Aleksandra Ross
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A forest, besieged. A queen, unyielding. Fans of Leigh Bardugo and Holly Black will devour this deliciously dark Eastern European–inspired YA fantasy debut.

The Burning by Laura Bates
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From Laura Bates, internationally renowned feminist and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, comes a debut novel for the #metoo era. It’s a powerful call to action, reminding all readers of the implications of sexism and the role we can each play in ending it.

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

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