Are you looking for new books to read in 2018? Or looking for a reading challenge? Well in case you missed it, join the The Nerd Daily’s 2018 Reading Challenge! It has 52 prompts to guide you to read one book per week, or to just read outside your comfort zone. To help you decide, we decided to put up some book recommendations for you. This recommendations consist of mixed audiences, from middle grade to adult and to different genres!

Read on to discover a few books to help you with some of our challenges!

1. Under 200 Pages: Novellas are great pick for this category or Tor short stories. I highly recommend The Night Cyclist and The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Djinn!
2. New York Times Bestseller: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas has generated a lot of buzz last year and it debuted on New York Times Bestseller list! Plus it’s being adapted into a film!
3. Author Starting With T: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien is a classic or if you’ve read that, try the other fantastic books by Tolkien.
4. 2018 Film Adaptation: The adaptation of Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli is scheduled to be released in March 2018, so go read it before (or after) the movie comes out!
5. Older Than 20 Years: If you haven’t started the Harry Potter series, this year is the right time! This year will mark 20 years since the release of Chamber of Secrets, the second book in the series, and the 21st of Sorcerer’s Stone, the first book. Two birds with one stone right?

6. Villain/Anti-hero: Vicious by V.E Schwab is one of my favourite books and with the main character an anti-hero, it creates a fascinating narrative around the term heroes and villains.
7. Reread a favourite: Self-explanatory prompts here, this year I want to re-read Harry Potter so any books could fit this prompt.
8. Goodreads Choice Winner: You can look for inspiration here, but I highly recommend The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. This nonfiction chronicles the origin of HeLa cells that helps founding a lot of medicine and the aftermath. The writing is very easy to read and fits everyone, so go give this book a try!
9. Written By Two Authors: Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman is one of the most hyped up books in the YA community. This book chronicles the space survival of Kady and her planet’s people from invasion and evil AI, told through journals and other things.
10. Time Travel: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon may be intimidating due to its size, but it’s pretty easy to read and the story is a page-turner!
11. Male Author: Any of Neil Gaiman’s books because he is such a fantastic writer so if you haven’t read any of his books, he’s perfect for this category. Plus I highly recommend The Graveyard Book.

12. Young Adult Novel: Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins is such a fun series, filled with witty banter, cotillion, and a lot of ass-kicking.
13. A Number In The Title: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo follows a band of anti-heroes consisting of 6 thieves and convicts trying to pull off an impossible heist.
14. Start A New Series: Any series you want to start but never do? This prompt is the perfect motivation for you! I personally want to start Poison Study series by Maria V. Snyder.
15. An Autobiography: The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher is perfect for anyone whether they love Star Wars or not.
16. Short Stories: Anthologies have been gaining traction recently with a lot of authors releasing some sort of anthologies. One of the most well-known is My True Love Gave to Me, which is a Christmas anthology, or its summer counterpart, Summer Days and Summer Nights.

17. Recommended By Family: My family is not a huge reader, so it’s hard to get a recommendation from them. But my sister highly recommended The School of Good and Evil series by Soman Chainani, which is a middle grade book sets in a school that trains its pupil to become either heroes or villains.
18. A Red Cover: Scythe by Neil Shusterman is another series I want to start this year and it has gained a lot of hype. This book tells the story of a modern-day grim reaper working for the government to keep the population under control.
19. Set In The Past: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco follows the Jack the Ripper murder with our heroine Audrey as she breaks social constraints and try to solve the mystery of Jack the Ripper.
20. A Book You Never Finished: I picked up Heidi by Johanna Spyri, but after a few pages never continue reading it. Another self-explanatory prompt, all you need to do is try to find a book you put on hold or DNF before!
21. Sci-Fi: Sci-fi is not a genre I reach for often, but a lot of people like The Martian by Andy Weir and it also has been adapted to movie, so it seems like an appropriate read.

22. Three Word Title: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng is unusual and captivating, and the title definitely makes sense after you finish the book and find yourself blown away by it!
23. Recommended By Us: Take a look at literature of the world articles, including Jamaica which highlights authors and characters from Jamaica.
24. About Family: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan is filled with crazy antics of the Singapore richest, but at the heart of the book, it’s about family relationships between Rachel and her mother, as well as the Young clan.
25. Female Author: The Secret History by Donna Tartt has been praised at how atmospheric and fascinating the characters are.
26. Bought During A Holiday: I don’t know about you, but I always bought a lot of books during the holiday season due to the abundance of book sales happening. One of the books I bought was A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi.

Any recommendations you like the sound of? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Recommendations For Your 2018 Reading Challenge appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

If you’re after a contemporary, try either A Girl Like That or American Panda! And if you’re after a little fantasy or science fiction, pick up The Traitor’s Game or Ink, Iron and Glass!

Read on to discover our YA picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be reading any!

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce | Goodreads

Arram Draper is a boy on the path to becoming one of the realm’s most powerful mages. The youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak, he has a Gift with unlimited potential for greatness–and for attracting danger. At his side are his two best friends: Varice, a clever girl with an often-overlooked talent, and Ozorne, the “leftover prince” with secret ambitions. Together, these three friends forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms. And as Ozorne gets closer to the throne and Varice gets closer to Arram’s heart, Arram begins to realise that one day soon he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.

A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena | Goodreads

Sixteen-year-old Zarin Wadia is many things, including a troublemaker whose many romances are the subject of endless gossip at school. So how is it that eighteen-year-old Porus Dumasia has only ever had eyes for her? And how did Zarin and Porus end up dead in a car together, crashed on the side of a highway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia? When the religious police arrive on the scene, everything everyone thought they knew about Zarin is questioned. And as her story is pieced together, told through multiple perspectives, it becomes clear that she was far more than just a girl like that.

Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston | Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Ana was found as a child drifting through space with a sentient android called D09 and saved by a fearsome space captain and the grizzled crew she now calls family. But D09—one of the last remaining illegal Metals—has been glitching, and Ana will stop at nothing to find a way to fix him. She embarks on a quest to steal the coordinates to a lost ship, but a spoiled Ironblood boy beats her and he doesn’t care what he’ll sacrifice to keep them. The pair end up as fugitives on the run. Now their entire kingdom is after them—and the coordinates—and not everyone wants them captured alive.

Assassin of Truth by Brenda Drake | Goodreads

The gateways linking the great libraries of the world don’t require a library card, but they do harbor incredible dangers. And it’s not your normal bump-in-the-night kind. The threats Gia Kearns faces are the kind with sharp teeth and knifelike claws. The kind that include an evil wizard hell-bent on taking her down. Gia can end his devious plan, but only if she recovers seven keys hidden throughout the world’s most beautiful libraries. And then figures out exactly what to do with them.

Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine | Goodreads

Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead moving with her family to Mars. Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan—a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by Shaun David Hutchinson | Goodreads

Sixteen-year-old Elena Mendoza is the product of a virgin birth. This can be scientifically explained (it’s called parthenogenesis), but what can’t be explained is how Elena is able to heal Freddie, the girl she’s had a crush on for years, from a gunshot wound in a Starbucks parking lot. Or why the boy who shot Freddie, David Combs, disappeared from the same parking lot minutes later after getting sucked up into the clouds.

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton | Goodreads

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle and they control Beauty, a commodity coveted above all else. Camellia wants to be the favourite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to tend to the royal family. But once she arrives, it becomes clear that being the favourite is not everything she always dreamed it would be.

Ink, Iron, and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare | Goodreads

A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation by her mother. But when her home is attacked and her mother abducted, Elsa must cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative 19th-century Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of pazzerellones—young people with a gift for mechanics, alchemy or scriptology—and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and a tragic past. She recruits the help of these fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.

The Traitor’s Game by Jennifer A. Nielsen | Goodreads

Kestra Dallisor has spent three years in exile in the Lava Fields, but that won’t stop her from being drawn back into her father’s palace politics. He’s the right hand man of the cruel king, Lord Endrick, which makes Kestra a valuable bargaining chip. A group of rebels knows this and they kidnap her. The kidnappers want her to retrieve the lost Olden Blade, the only object that can destroy the immortal king, but Kestra is not the obedient captive they expected.

American Panda by Gloria Chao | Goodreads

At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents’ master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies. With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can’t bring herself to tell them the truth–that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.

The Prince and The Dressmaker by Jen Wang | Goodreads

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion! Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend?

The Last To Let Go by Amber Smith | Goodreads

Junior year for Brooke Winters is supposed to be about change. But all of her dreams are shattered one hot summer afternoon when her mother is arrested for killing Brooke’s abusive father. No one really knows what happened that day, if it was premeditated or self-defense, whether it was right or wrong. And now Brooke and her siblings are on their own. In a year of firsts—the first year without parents, first love, first heartbreak, and her first taste of freedom—Brooke must confront the shadow of her family’s violence and dysfunction, as she struggles to embrace her identity, finds her true place in the world, and learns how to let go.

What February YA release are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

The post February Book Releases: Young Adult appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Hazel Wood is also Melissa Albert’s debut novel and she dips her toes into waters that many debut authors don’t dare to navigate.

The first few chapters of The Hazel Wood give us some background on our main character Alice, her mother Ella, and her grandmother, Althea Prosperine, who wrote a popular book of fairy tales. This book was called Tales From The Hinterland, which contained twelve fairy tales, which were very dark and different.

Alice remembers that she was kidnapped when she was six years old, by a man with red hair who said he was taking her to her grandmother. She was not harmed and was found very quickly by the police and her mother. A decade later, Alice spots the redheaded man who looks the same as before and strange things start happening.

She and her mother receive a letter that informs them that Althea has passed away and shortly afterwards, Ella disappears under very strange circumstances. This causes Alice to turn to a classmate named Ellery Finch who agrees to accompany on a journey to visit the Hazel Wood and find her mother.

The character of Alice wasn’t too likeable, but she was very compelling and I felt myself reacting to situations in a very similar way as she did. Alice is a very self-centered character and seems to focus on the fact that she grew up poor and never had somewhere that she could call home. Throughout the book she is a little bit demanding and never acknowledges her mistakes, which causes many of the other characters to have problems with her. Overall, she isn’t my favourite heroine in a YA novel.

The other main character, Ellery Finch was a much more likeable character. He comes from a family with money and he is a super fan of Althea’s work and wants nothing more than to visit The Hazel Wood, which is Althea’s vast estate in upstate New York. He forms a shaky bond with Alice and they set off on a journey to visit the Hazel Wood, which also happens to be the one place that Alice’s mother told her never to go. I thought he was funny and sweet and by the time I finished this book, I really missed this character.

Many YA books nowadays, contain some form of romance, but surprisingly this book doesn’t. The Hazel Wood is a book that doesn’t seem to have the time to introduce a romance as it is too busy trying to solve a mystery, and keep dark forces at bay. This was a really pleasant thing to see as romances often swallow up the whole plot.

Although it was a little slow-going and very, very dark, I ended up enjoying it. The whole concept of this book was very original and the plot was very intriguing. This book is certainly for an older teenage audience as it was disturbing, unsettling and had a lot of graphic violence/gory horror within the fairytales and novel itself. I was warned beforehand that it was very dark, but I didn’t feel truly uneasy until I started reading this alone. Plus the story was not wrapped up in a light sort of way, so if you are looking for a happy ending, you better turn around.

Have you read The Hazel Wood or are you planning to read it? Tell us in the comments!

SYNOPSIS | GOODREADS

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother’s stories are set. Alice’s only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother’s tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

The post Review: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

From the release of the physical copy of Zenith written by BookTuber Sasha Alsberg, to a collection of short stories by some talented YA authors including Nicola Yoon and Kass Morgan. Then there’s a new novel adaption of Marvel and Hulu’s Runaways, plus new releases from Pierce Brown, Holly Black, Marie Lu, Maureen Johnson and Marissa Meyer.

Check out our picks and tell us if you will be reading one (or a few) of these great new releases!

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert | Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, passes away alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood. Soon, Alice’s mother is taken away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother’s stories are set. Alice’s only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings | Goodreads

Androma Racella is known as the Bloody Baroness, a powerful mercenary within the Mirabel Galaxy leading her all-girl run starship. Meanwhile, a ruthless ruler waits in the shadows waiting to exact revenge for the destruction of her people and her plan will tear Mirabel in two.

A Taxonomy of Love by Rachael Allen | Goodreads

It’s . . . something at first sight when Spencer meets hope and they quickly become friends. He finally feels like he belongs after being outshone by his brother and teased because of his Tourette syndrome, but the label of “friend” gets messier as they grow up. Through a series of ups and downs, the two grow together and apart and Spencer learns things don’t always fit into boxes.

Runaways by Christopher Golden | Goodreads

Based on the popular Hulu television series and comic books, fans and first-time readers will enjoy this new take on the story. The novel also includes the first issue of the revived Runaways comic series written by Rainbow Rowell and with art by Kris Anka.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black | Goodreads

Jude was seven when herself and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants to belong even though fey despise humans, especially Prince Cardan—the young and wicked son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu | Goodreads

One by one, the city’s elites are being executed. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is turning eighteen and about to inherit his family’s fortune, not to mention the keys to Wayne Enterprises. But after a run-in with the police, he’s forced to do community service at Arkham Asylum. He meets Madeleine, a brilliant girl with ties to the Nightwalkers and she’s a mystery Bruce must unravel. But is he getting her to divulge her secrets, or is he feeding her the information she needs to bring Gotham City to its knees?

Markswoman by Rati Mehrotra | Goodreads

Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, a highly trained sisterhood of elite warriors armed with telepathic blades. After the death of her mentor, Kyra is forced to run and finds herself at the Order of Khur, an order composed of all men. With the help of Rustan, a young, disillusioned Marksman, Kyra must obtain proof of who killed her mentor.

Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined To Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout + Various | Goodreads

Whether or not you believe in fate, or luck, or love at first sight, every romance has to start somewhere. Meet Cute is an anthology of original short stories featuring tales of “how they first met” from some of today’s most popular YA authors, including Nina LaCour, Nicola Yoon, Katharine McGee, Kass Morgan, and Dhonielle Clayton.

Everless by Sara Holland | Goodreads

In Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich have extended their lives for centuries and nobody resents them more than Jules Ember. Now with her father dying, she must go to them and earn more time for him, but going back brings danger and temptation catching her in a tangle of violent secrets.

Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely | Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Serendipity “Pity” Jones inherited two things from her mother: a pair of six shooters and perfect aim. She’s been offered a life of fame and fortune in Cessation, a glittering city where lawlessness is a way of life. But the price she pays for her freedom may be too great….

Reign The Earth by A.C. Gaughen | Goodreads

Shalia is a proud daughter of the desert, but after years of war, her people are desperate for peace. Willing to trade her freedom, Shalia becomes Queen of the Bonelands. She discovers Calix, her husband, is determined to kill off the Elementae—mystical people who can control earth, wind, air, and fire. More unsettling is Shalia’s feelings for her husband’s brother and discovering her power over the earth—a power that could get her killed.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson | Goodreads

Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers and inventors.  But after it opened, Albert Ellingham’s wife and daughter were kidnapped and it became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history. Now true-crime aficionado Stevie Bell begins her first year at the academy and aims to solve the cold case until death revisits Ellingham Academy.

Wires and Nerves, Vol 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer | Goodreads

Iko—an audacious android and best friend to the Lunar Queen Cinder—has been tasked with hunting down Alpha Lysander Steele, the leader of a rogue band of bioengineered wolf-soldiers who threaten to undo the tenuous peace agreement between Earth and Luna. Unless Cinder can reverse the mutations that were forced on them years before, Steele and his soldiers plan to satisfy their monstrous appetites with a massacre of the innocent people of Earth.

Iron Gold by Pierce Brown | Goodreads

A decade ago, Darrow was the hero of the revolution but the Rising only brought an endless war. Now he must risk everything he has fought for on one last desperate mission with other destinies entwining with Darrow’s—A young Red girl flees tragedy and gains a new life she could never have imagined. An ex-soldier broken by grief is forced to steal the most valuable thing in the galaxy—or pay with his life. And Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile to the sovereign, wanders the stars with his mentor, Cassius, haunted by the loss of the world that Darrow transformed, and dreaming of what will rise from its ashes.

Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh | Goodreads

Odessa is one of Karthia’s master necromancers, catering to the kingdom’s ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it’s Odessa’s job to raise them by retrieving their souls from the Deadlands. But the Dead must remain shrouded, or risk transforming into zombie-like monsters known as Shades. Shade attacks soon rise and it appears someone is intentionally creating and training them to attack.

Nice Try, Jane Sinner by Lianne Oelke | Goodreads

17-year-old Jane Sinner’s parents push her to attend a high school completion program after her expulsion, and she agrees as long as she gets to move out. She signs up for a student-run reality show to solve her housing problem. The show goes from web series to a local TV show with fans and she’ll use her growing fan base, and whatever Intro to Psychology can teach her, to prove to the world—or at least viewers of substandard TV—that she has what it takes to win.

Check out other books coming out in January 2018 on our Goodreads list!

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

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you have read or will be reading one!

The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin | Goodreads

In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after. Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string. They’re wrong. Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future. He shouldn’t. And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart. They’re right.

The Temptation of Adam by Dave Connis | Goodreads

Adam Hawthorne is fine even though his mother and older sister left while Adam now spends his nights watching self-curated porn video playlists. When a family friend discovers Adam’s porn addiction, he’s forced to join an addiction support group: the self-proclaimed Knights of Vice. The honesty of the Knights starts to slip past his defenses and combine that with his sister’s out-of-the-blue return, the attention of a girl he meets in an AA meeting, and all the work Adam has put into being fine begins to unravel. Now Adam has to face the causes and effects of his addiction, before he loses his new friends, his prodigal sister, and his almost semi-sort-of girlfriend.

Runebinder by Alex R. Kahler | Goodreads

When magic returned, but greed and thirst for power caused mankind’s downfall instead. Now once-human monsters called Howls prowl abandoned streets, their hunger guided by corrupt necromancers and the all-powerful Kin. Only Hunters have the power to fight back in the unending war, using the same magic that ended civilisation in the first place. Tenn is a Hunter and he becomes singled out by a seductive Kin named Tomás and the enigmatic Hunter Jarrett, Tenn realises he’s become a pawn in a bigger game. One that could turn the tides of war. But if his mutinous magic and wayward heart get in the way, his power might not be used in favour of mankind.

Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi | Goodreads

A new adventure about a girl who is fated to wash the bodies of the dead in this companion to Furthermore. Laylee can barely remember the happier times before her beloved mother died. Before her father, driven by grief, lost his wits (and his way). Before she was left as the sole remaining mordeshoor in the village of Whichwood, destined to spend her days washing the bodies of the dead and preparing their souls for the afterlife. It’s become easy to forget and easier still to ignore the way her hands are stiffening and turning silver, just like her hair, and her own ever-increasing loneliness and fear. (NOTE: More so middle grade, but still a great read!)

The Chaos of Standing Still by Jessica Brody | Goodreads

Over the course of one chaotic night stranded at the Denver airport, Ryn confronts her shattered past on New Year’s Eve thanks to a never-ending blizzard on the one-year anniversary of her best friend’s death. When Ryn and a boy named Xander accidentally swap phones, they are thrust into the chaos of an unforgettable all-night adventure, filled with charming and mysterious strangers, a secret New Year’s Eve bash, and a possible Illuminati conspiracy hidden within the Denver airport.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer | Goodreads

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they are a symbol of hope and courage…except to the villains they once overthrew. Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. Closing in on her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

Here We Are Now by Jasmine Warga | Goodreads

Taliah Abdallat never thought she’d ever really meet Julian Oliver, but one day the famed rock star shows up on her doorstep because Julian Oliver is Taliah’s father, even though her mother would never admit it to her. He asks her to come with him to Oak Falls Indiana to meet her grandfather who is dying and she’s torn between betraying her mother’s trust and meeting the family she has never known, goes. With her best friend by her side, she embarks on a three-day journey, but Julian isn’t the father Taliah always hoped for.

Blood Oath by Raye Wagner and Kelly St. Clare | Goodreads

More than anything, I crave adventure. But in the disease ridden land of Verald, life is mapped out much like the well-established rings of our kingdom. At the very heart reigns our vicious king and Lord Irrik, an invincible dragon shifter, at his side. Their power poisons the land and the people, leading to a steadily mounting number of enemies. But change is coming. When the rebellion surges, the king strikes back. Captured by Lord Irrik, I’m suddenly embroiled in a deadly game. One where I’m desperate to understand the rules. Because I’m not only fighting for my life…but also a love that could be the very key to my freedom.

Fence by C.S. Pacat | Goodreads

Fence follows the rise of 16-year-old outsider Nicholas in the world of competitive fencing at an elite boys school. “It’s all about the world of fencing,” said Pacat. “The elegance, the danger, the high stakes of what’s essentially a combat sport.”

The Emerald Circus by Jane Yolen | Goodreads

It’s time to go back to—and beyond—the treasured tales you thought you knew: The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and many more. A girl blown away from Kansas returns as a sophisticate with unusual gymnastic abilities. A talented apprentice, forging her first sword, is suddenly left to the mercies of Merlin. Alice’s infamous nemesis has jaws and claws, but also lacks the essential: a sense of humour.

Almost Midnight by Rainbow Rowell | Goodreads

Midnights is the story of Noel and Mags, who meet at the same New Year’s Eve party every year and fall a little more in love each time… Kindred Spirits is about Elena, who decides to queue to see the new Star Wars movie and meets Gabe, a fellow fan. Midnight was previously published as part of the My True Love Gave to Me anthology, edited by Stephanie Perkins and Kindred Spirits was previously published as a World Book Day title.

Rosemarked by Livia Blackburne | Goodreads

When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it’s only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she’s destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art—until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill. Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he’ll do anything to free them from Amparan rule—even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self.

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Mental health is a topic that is finally receiving the attention it deserves with more people talking about it. It’s an area that is becoming more present in people’s lives whether it be directly or indirectly, and this has seen a rise in literature representing it within their pages.

Since there are many books featuring mental health, we’ve narrowed it down to some young adult books which feature different types of mental health, including depression and anxiety, as well as ones which appear to be not as common in books. These books are just another way to spread awareness about mental health, and especially to make others feel not so alone in the world.

Do you know of a YA book that features mental health? Tell us in the comments below!

A Taste of Blue Light by Lydia Ruffles | Goodreads

Features Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which is typically triggered after experiencing or seeing a horrific event.

Synopsis: These are the things Lux knows: She is an Artist. She is lucky. She is broken. These are the things she doesn’t know: What happened over the summer. Why she ended up in hospital. Why her memories are etched in red.

Category: Young Adult, Romance, Mystery

By Your Side by Kasie West | Goodreads

Features anxiety, which becomes apparent when you are stressed or worried and these feelings do not go away after the situation.

Synopsis: When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.

Category: Romance, Young Adult

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia | Goodreads

Features schizophrenia, which is a combination of triggers but it causes the schizophrenic to experience symptoms such as feeling out of  touch with reality or disorganised speech and behaviour.

Synopsis: Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn’t she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.

Category: Young Adult, Contemporary

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman | Goodreads

This title also features schizophrenia, which is a combination of triggers but it causes the schizophrenic to experience symptoms such as feeling out of  touch with reality or disorganised speech and behaviour.

Synopsis: Caden Bosch is on a ship that’s headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench. Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior. Caden Bosch is designated the ship’s artist in residence, to document the journey with images. Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head. Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny. Caden Bosch is torn.

Category: Romance, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

I Was Here by Gayle Forman | Goodreads

Features depression, which is most commonly described as feeling sad and low for long periods of time, mostly more than 2 weeks.

Synopsis: When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

Category: Contemporary, Young Adult

Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness and a Mother’s Love by Zack McDermott | Goodreads

Features bipolar disorder, which can be triggered through many different experiences and places or genetics. It can cause the person to lose touch with reality or have high levels of energy, which are only a few of many symptoms.

Synopsis: The story of Zack’s freefall into psychosis and his desperate, poignant, often darkly funny struggle to claw his way back to sanity, regain his identity, and rebuild some semblance of a stable life. It’s a journey that will take him from New York City back to his Kansas roots and to the one person who might be able to save him, his tough, big-hearted Midwestern mother, nicknamed the Bird, whose fierce and steadfast love is the light in Zack’s dark world.

Category: Autobiography, Nonfiction, Memoir

Highly Illogical Behaviour by John Corey Whaley | Goodreads

Agoraphobia is known as the fear of being out in the open or public.

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Solomon is agoraphobic. He hasn’t left the house in three years, which is fine by him. Ambitious Lisa desperately wants to get into the second-best psychology program for college (she’s being realistic). But is ambition alone enough to get her in?

Enter Lisa. Determined to “fix” Sol, Lisa steps into his world, along with her charming boyfriend, Clark, and soon the three form an unexpected bond. But, as Lisa learns more about Sol and he and Clark grow closer and closer, the walls they’ve built around themselves start to collapse and their friendships threaten to do the same.

Category: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT

NOTE: Descriptions of mental illnesses have been simplified. If you would like to find more information and details about mental health, please search for a mental health organisation within your country or visit Australia’s HeadSpace, a mental health organisation for young people.

The post YA Books Featuring Mental Health appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Written by Salima Bensalah

Many thanks to publisher and NetGalley as I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book to review in exchange for an honest review.

Initially, I was excited to read this book due to the intriguing and dramatic premise: a mix of Vikings, the Sight, battle and revenge. While this book certainly did supply these things in small sprinkles, it’s a strange tale with a writing style that may cause some readers to give it a pass.

The story follows a young Viking woman named Bera who is the daughter of a prominent figure. After a complicated incident, Bera’s close childhood friend is killed and she is torn between her guilt and the desire to commit revenge. While most readers might assume that her revenge will be a key focus of the story, unfortunately it is barely mentioned again, pushed aside for other events and subplots. In a swift arrangement, Bera is later forced by her father to marry the chieftain of a rival clan, whose second-in-command is responsible for her late friend’s death.

There’s also some vaguely explained fantasy element of Bera wanting to develop her inherited gift of Sight, and her ongoing visions which show inevitable disaster. Without the latter additions, I doubt that the story overall would really be missing out on anything.

The majority of the story focuses on Bera’s marriage with the rival clan’s leader, and how she must adapt to becoming the mother of his child. For some reason, Bera and the son are immediately hostile to each other, and while this makes for an interesting contrast as they later get to know each other, it isn’t very well explained why they should hate each other so intimately, especially on Bera’s side. Relationships are also strangely developed in other parts of the novel, particularly with a love-hate inconsistency with Bera’s husband. She initially wants revenge, and then love, and sometimes within the same page there is a shift from love to hate to desire and then back to hate again. While a difficult relationship can be interesting to read about, in this case it distracted me from the rest of the story and ended up being confusing to my understanding of their marriage. However, a satisfying ending clarifies the way they feel about each other in a way that does not leave Bera a weak female character.

The main criticism I have for the book is the writing style, which is insanely fast. Many passages I had to quickly read again, having missed out on important plot points. Setting is barely explained, making the events (as dramatic as they were) harder to vividly imagine. The fact that the reader is initially plunged into the story without sufficient description, and with characters we know very little about, makes it harder for the reader to become fully invested in the story to care about what happens to the characters. Although some of the side characters do eventually become more interesting and complex as the novel progresses, there are some modern words which slip into the dialogue which makes the story sound less authentic for its historical time period (“crap” particularly stood out).

Additionally, I also found Bera to be largely unlikable as a protagonist. While many things happen to her, she barely reacts to them. The premise promised me a strong character out for revenge, and yet the majority of the story barely delivers on this, instead giving us an unlikable lead with an immediate hatred for those around her – especially shown by her strained relationship with her stepson. She does get less tiresome as the story develops, but a satisfying ending does not make up for the rest of the novel.

Even the Goodreads community seems divided on this one, with many glowing reviews and many less impressed one too. For me, this was a tumultuous read and I found myself unable to be entertained due to a lack of character to root for. Bera didn’t quite hook my interest, and I didn’t think the world-building was enough to immerse me into the story. However, other reviewers seem to enjoy the character shift in Bera as well as the unusual setting. With such mixed reviews, I would recommend checking out the book for yourself to see if it might be your cup of tea. Released earlier this year, there still remains to be a general readership consensus, but I hope that you may find it more enjoyable than I did.

The post Review: The Book of Bera by Suzie Wilde appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

We are always been begging for the next cast member announcement, a trailer, set photos, or anything from upcoming films, especially when it comes to book-to-film adaptions! From All the Bright Places to Jenny Han’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, here are some upcoming YA book-to-movie adaptations scheduled for release in 2018 or in the near future!

Read on and tell us in the comments below which one you are most excited for!

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Plot (from Goodreads): “Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.”

News: Elle Fanning has been the only casting announcement made so far and she will be playing Violet. However, the author is playing games on who she wants to play Finch on her Instagram, so we highly recommend following her! There is no set release date for the film yet.

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, & Lauren Myracle

Plot: A girl is supposed to go to her grandma’s house after her parents get arrested, she gets stuck on the train due to a snow storm. A group of friends try to make it to a Waffle House, in the middle of the same snow storm. A girl set’s out to find something which is later stolen from her.

News: Although this was supposed to be out in 2016, the film was pushed to November of this year. Luke Snellin, the same director from the adaption of John Green’s The Fault in our Stars, will also be directing this movie. With official date having been released or even a cast, the film looks like it will be getting pushed back once more!

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Plot: When Lara Jean is over a boy, she would write them a letter to tell them how much she had loved them. When those mysterious letters get sent out to all of the boys she has written to, she must live with the consequences.

News: IT IS FINALLY BECOMING A MOVIE!! They already have a full cast list, including Lana Condor (X-Men: Apocalypse) as Lara Jean and Noah Centineo (The Fosters) as Peter. Filming has also begun, but no official word on release date, although it will more than likely be around May or June next year.

Sandcastle Empire by Kayla Olson

Plot (from Goodreads): “Before the war, Eden’s life was easy—air conditioning, ice cream, long days at the beach. Then the revolution happened, and everything changed. Now a powerful group called the Wolfpack controls the earth and its resources. Eden has lost everything to them. They killed her family and her friends, destroyed her home, and imprisoned her. But Eden refuses to die by their hands. She knows the coordinates to the only neutral ground left in the world, a place called Sanctuary Island, and she is desperate to escape to its shores. Eden finally reaches the island and meets others resistant to the Wolves—but the solace is short-lived when one of Eden’s new friends goes missing. Braving the jungle in search of their lost ally, they quickly discover Sanctuary is filled with lethal traps and an enemy they never expected. This island might be deadlier than the world Eden left behind, but surviving it is the only thing that stands between her and freedom.”

News: It hasn’t even been three months since this book was released and we already have news on it being turned into a film. Leonardo DiCaprio is on board to be a producer for the movie with Paramount Pictures.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Plot: In the middle of the Black Lives Matter movement, it is tough for Starr (Amandla Stenberg, The Hunger Games) since she is one of the few African-Americans who goes to a prep school. When she sees her friend get shot down by a police officer, heat starts to rise inside Starr.

News: Only few have been cast in the production alongside Stenberg. The director for the film is George Tillman JR (The Longest Ride) and screenwriter is Audrey Wells (A Dogs Purpose).

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Plot (from EpicReads): “Dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom (Aniston), Willowdean has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back. Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.”

News: The film is well underway with casting and they have found their lead actor in Danielle Macdonald (Patty Cake$). Alongside Macdonald, Jennifer Aniston, Dove Cameron (The Descendants), Odeya Rush (The Giver), Bex Taylor-Klaus (Arrow), and Maddie Baillio (Hairspray Live!) will also star. Kristen Hahn will write (Anthem) and produce the film with Michael Costigan (Ghost in the Shell, 2017).

The post 6 YA Book-To-Film Adaptions Currently In The Works appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Wendy Project is a short, but poignant graphic novel based on the classic story of Peter Pan. It begins fairly grounded in reality–a car accident, a broken family, teenage drama–but slowly delves more and more into the magical realism sphere, ultimately coming to resemble its literary predecessor, Peter Pan.

First, the illustrations in this graphic novel are absolutely stunning. They incorporate colour effectively, consistently, and in a way that elevates the plot itself. It’s not often that I read a graphic novel which has illustrations and plot combining so seamlessly.

The plot itself is interesting, though seems a bit lacking at times. The book is very short and could absolutely be longer to give more depth and details to the story itself. While you’re able to get a good idea of what’s happening, and there’s a satisfying beginning, middle, and end, more plot wouldn’t hurt. There were a few instances that had me a bit confused about what was actually happening, but for the most part, it was an easy and pleasant reading experience.

This is a more emotional retelling of Peter Pan, that also plays with the belief that the original Neverland was a heaven of sorts for children killed in the war. This modern graphic rendition takes some of the classic elements of the original Barrie novel, adds 21st-century elements, and spins the plot to involve a grief-stricken and guilt-ridden Wendy, separated from her brother, and searching for him through art, dreams, and Neverland itself.

SYNOPSIS | Goodreads

16-year-old Wendy Davies crashes her car into a lake on a late summer night in New England with her two younger brothers in the backseat. When she wakes in the hospital, she is told that her youngest brother, Michael, is dead. Wendy — a once rational teenager – shocks her family by insisting that Michael is alive and in the custody of a mysterious flying boy. Placed in a new school, Wendy negotiates fantasy and reality as students and adults around her resemble characters from Neverland. Given a sketchbook by her therapist, Wendy starts to draw. But is The Wendy Project merely her safe space, or a portal between worlds?

The post Review: The Wendy Project by Melissa Jane Osborne appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Written by Tasya

Fallen Flame is the first book of an intriguing series about magic and goddesses. In a land where magic has perished ages before, Vala was born with scorched skin, marking her different and to be feared. The royal family took her in to join the royal guard, but when royals from another kingdom come, attempts on the prince’s life are made and with it, the questions about who Vala really is.

The book begin with Vala having her weekly bath to remove her scorched layer of skin, only to be disturbed by the news that the prince is missing, and the story goes from there. The writing style is quite detailed and some people might find they struggle with it, but it worked well for me. Since the story is told from Vala’s point of view, it’s really fitting that she pays attention to the finer details because after all, she’s a royal guard so she has to pay attention. The focus on description and details of the story helps to give life to the world and everything in it, including the characters and their arcs. If there’s any complaint though, the pace of the novel becomes slightly disrupted from the detailed writing.

The way magic is interwoven into the story is really amazing. It’s like it’s a taboo, but also an intriguing topic. In this novel, magic has brought war upon humans and the mythical creatures of the world. The whole myth and plot is very original and interesting, which will entice readers to continue on with the series.

The characters are well written with our main character Vala being both levelheaded and strong. She perseveres in the face of trouble and her sense of loyalty is outstanding. Unfortunately it can also make her quite naive, but she is always quick to learn from her mistakes. Readers will be able to sympathise with her and find themselves caring what happens to her character over the course of the book. The romance isn’t too convincing, but it does have potential to be developed in future instalments. Like any book, particular YA, love triangles are prominent and this shows hints of one forming in it, but let’s hope that changes.

Overall, with its great writing, amazing world building and strong characters, Fallen Flame is a solid first book for an interesting series filled with magic.

Have you read Fallen Flame? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

SYNOPSIS | Goodreads

Nineteen years ago, on the island kingdom of Garlin, a girl was born. With charred skin as rough as rock, Vala was instantly feared. For how could one be scorched by magic when it had perished ages before?

Recognizing an asset, the royal family welcomed her on their Guard. Her detail: the prince. To watch. To protect. She has grown with him, lives her life for him. When the high kingdom’s princess comes to assess the prince, assassins of rival courtiers come to claim his life. One nearly succeeds in his mission. But with shadowy movements and charred skin like her own, Vala knows he is not like the rest.

As threats to the prince continue and questions about Vala’s life begin to rise, she faces a fear worse than fire or water, worse even than losing him. She fears finding out who she truly is.

The post Review: Fallen Flame by J.M Miller appeared first on The Nerd Daily.