We had the pleasure of chatting to author Veronica Rossi about her new young adult novel, Rebel Spy. She chats about its inspiration, book recommendations, writing, and more!

You can find Veronica on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, along with at her website. Also be sure to check out Veronica’s online launch for Rebel Spy on June 24th!

Hi Veronica! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat! Can you tell us more about yourself?

Thank you for having me, and sure! I am a young adult author who’s just published book number six, REBEL SPY. I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and have lived in Mexico, Venezuela, and Italy. I’m now in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have two sons and two dogs, but only one husband. I have a pretty profound need to be creative—usually that translates to writing and painting. I’m obsessed with elephants. I usually start crying when I see living ones, but it’s a gentler weeping than Kristen Bell’s reaction to sloths. I just feel like elephants understand me, you know?

Your new novel, Rebel Spy, publishes on June 23^rd. If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Political, meaning, seek, truth, girl

Knowing that real-life spy 355 was a major inspiration for the Rebel Spy, what was the most interesting fact that you found out about her?

Very little is actually known about her, but one thing I love is a missive written by one of her co-spies that said she would “outwit them all” – them, meaning the British. It’s such a succinct statement, but I think it says so much. It really speaks to someone incredibly brave and clever, who was afforded tremendous respect and trust by her peers.

If you just happened to live in the time period within the book, who would you be more like and why?

Looking at the characters in the novel, I’d definitely be like the protagonist, Frannie Tasker. She makes mistakes, but she perseveres. She leads with her heart and has a strong sense of moral responsibility. I wish I could say that I’m as brave as her, but I’m not. I’d rather write about spies than be one!

What were your favourite scenes to write?

I loved writing scenes that highlight Frannie’s deep connection to the ocean because it’s something I feel as well. I also really enjoyed writing the scenes that centered around her friendships. She makes a few unlikely friends towards the end of the story that utterly surprised me, and that’s always fun for a writer.

Did you have a favourite drink or snack to have whilst writing Rebel Spy? I know that I couldn’t stop drinking tea whilst reading!

That’s funny! I’m actually not much for snacks or drinks while I write. I do lean on music, though. A good playlist will carry me through the months—or years—of drafting and revising of a novel.

Rebel Spy is in a different genre to that of your Under the Never Sky books. What was it like to write in a different genre?

It sounds like a huge change going from sci-fi to historical, doesn’t it? And it was in many ways, but it also wasn’t. In both genres, readers expect a richly rendered world that’s different from our own. The difference was that I fashioned one from moondust and daydreams; the other, through years of research. At the end of the day, though, it’s the characters that matter to me. I need them to feel compelling and real regardless of the genre. Writing great characters with vibrant inner lives, and deep wants and wounds—that didn’t change.

Did you have a playlist you listened to whilst writing, or did you prefer silence?

As I mentioned above, playlist! I usually write to musical scores for films or series. There’s so much atmosphere and emotion in them, and I don’t have to worry about getting distracted by lyrics. For REBEL SPY, I put together a playlist that also included period-relevant music, plus a ton of Zoë Keating and Basia Bulat. Zoë and Basia were my muses for this book!

What advice would you give to those looking to write historical fiction?

Be sure you really love research, and not just secondary source-research. I believe the closer you get to the history—primary-source documents, interviews with experts, visiting locations—the more authentic and vivid your story will be. And be patient with the process. You may not always find what you’re looking for right away. Sometimes the perfect detail finds you on its own time.

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

Yes, of course! I usually read a handful of books at once. Right now, my current YA read is THE MERMAID, THE WITCH & THE SEA by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, but I’m also reading HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST by Ibram X. Kendi, EXHALATION by Ted Chiang, and WOMEN WHO RUN WITH WOLVES by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés. All incredibly different. All excellent.

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

The post Q&A: Veronica Rossi, Author of ‘Rebel Spy’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

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

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

Influence by Sara Shepard and Lilia Buckingham
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

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

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

Category Five by Ann Dávila Cardinal
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

Hood by Jenny Elder Moke
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

The Damned by Renée Ahdieh
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In this book, we meet Frannie, who somewhat finds herself on a ship away from her step-father, Sewel, who sounded rather nasty and abusive. Frannie is relieved to be away from  her step-father, however we quickly find out that she’s about to trade her life away in order to be able to gain passage to the ship’s destination: New York. The crew mistake her for the rich Emmeline, who was thought to be rather well mannered and lady-like, things that Frannie is not.

I liked that the book has a comparison between what Frannie was before the ship, and after, given that the social classes are vastly different to each other. I also enjoyed the character development of Frannie throughout, as she was trying to figure out how to fit into this new, extraordinary life. I believe that this was super important to have in the book to give the reader a greater sense of context.

Although this is driven by the research done on the mysterious real-life spy 355, I felt that the spy aspect (including the spy ring) didn’t take the forefront in the story. Whilst I appreciate that it was hard to incorporate the spy aspect with the already double life, I would’ve loved to see a lot more of it as the story progressed. Whilst spying in this context sounded super risky, I was also rather sympathetic to Frannie as she was trying to battle who she was on top of being a spy.

Whereas the focus was more on Frannie and her status in society, I did like how romance and love (or lack thereof in some cases) was incorporated throughout as a key theme. We had the abuse of her stepfather telling her that she wouldn’t find anyone to marry, to potentially finding someone in high society. Whilst the latter was kind of flowery, there was a bit of tension between Frannie and Asa Lane (or is it Asa Latimer? Time will surely tell…) If only Asa had more page time as he was honestly my favourite character, even though he tried to pretend that Frannie is too good for him. To me, Asa and Frannie gave me the same vibe as the early Bella and Edward from Twilight (if you get what I mean, with Edward being super cold at the start.).

I also enjoyed the writing style, full of prose and historical terms that made me delve right into the past mindset, trying to figure out how everything fit within the United States at the time. The book was  slow to start with while we familiarised ourselves with Frannie, however, I really felt like the book really did pick up pace when we hit New York, on the boat. Imagine that… fleeing from the Bahamas to New York by boat, when a flight is only two and a half hours long now! The pace towards the end of the book was perfect for me to keep going and not stop, something I often look for in a book that sounds (and looks) so good!

Overall, if you’re looking for a cosy read and historical fiction is your jam, this book might be what you’ve been missing. Definitely fill that hole by reading this one when it comes out!

Rebel Spy is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of June 23rd 2020!

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

Synopsis | Goodreads

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

Rebellious Frannie Tasker knows little about the war between England and its thirteen colonies in 1776, until a shipwreck off her home in Grand Bahama Island presents an unthinkable opportunity. The body of a young woman floating in the sea gives Frannie the chance to escape her brutal stepfather–and she takes it.

Assuming the identity of the drowned Emmeline Coates, Frannie is rescued by a British merchant ship and sails with the crew to New York. For the next three years, Frannie lives a lie as Miss Coates, swept up in a courtship by a dashing British lieutenant. But after witnessing the darker side of the war, she realizes that her position gives her power. Soon she finds herself eavesdropping on British officers, risking everything to pass information on to George Washington’s Culper spy ring as agent 355. Frannie believes in the fight for American liberty–but what will it cost her? Inspired by the true “355” and rich in historical detail and intrigue, this is the story of an unlikely New York society girl turned an even unlikelier spy.

The post Review: Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.