Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Zen Cho’s Behind Frenemy Lines, which is out July 1st 2025.

Sparks fly when an ambitious rules-bound lawyer clashes with a maverick new hire who threatens his chances of partnership—and the walls he’s built around his heart.

Charles Goh has always played by the rules. It’s how he survived his difficult childhood as the swotty foreigner at a posh English boarding school — and now, his high-pressure job at one of the biggest corporate law firms in London. His job is his life and he’s happy that way … until she shows up.

Kriya Rajasekar’s lost her way. Her longtime boyfriend’s broken up with her and she feels trapped in her legal career. She knows she needs a fresh start — but it turns out her new job is at the same firm as her work nemesis. Charles Goh is like the bad luck charm she keeps running into, and their encounters lead to disaster every single time. And now he’s her office mate.

But just as they’re figuring out how to navigate this frenemy relationship, Kriya needs Charles’ help: pretend they’re dating so her boss will stop hitting on her. Soon, it becomes less clear whether they’re enemies, friends – or something else.

CHAPTER TWO
Charles

Came into the office early before my nine a.m. client call, so I could look over the file. Anne-Laure was travelling, so we were doing an old-fashioned phone call.

Should have been straightforward. She didn’t want anything complicated, just an update on the lawsuit against them, so she could brief her CEO. I explained we were awaiting the claimant’s reply to our last letter.

Anne-Laure: “Why the delay on their end?”

Didn’t say, I don’t know, I don’t have a psychic bond with the claimant that tells me what they’re thinking, despite the temptation. “They could be instructing external lawyers. We’ve been dealing with their in-house counsel so far.”

Anne-Laure, hopefully: “Maybe they’re planning not to progress the case? I have never found the claim convincing. How can we be responsible for their future profits? They have no way of knowing they would have earned all that money.”

Always amazes me how clients sign contracts promising to take responsibility for all sorts of things, and then are surprised when they’re held to it.

CG: “Unfortunately the contract is explicit that the claimant is entitled to loss of profits. And it’s not a matter of dispute that you failed to meet the SLAs. We haven’t seen their evidence on quantum yet, but from what they’ve said, £1 million doesn’t seem an unrealistic estimate of their losses—”

Anne-Laure: “Oh shit!”

CG, taken aback: “Anne-Laure?”

No response. “I think there’s a problem with the line. Can you hear me?”

Line crackled. Removed the receiver from my ear to inspect it. Was wondering if I should end the call and try ringing again, when I heard a noise at the door. Looked up and saw Kriya Rajasekar.

Her hair had grown out since the last time I saw her. (When was the last time? Conference where  she gave that talk on privilege, must be.) Her curls were halfway down her back now. Big gold hoops in her ears, tiny gold stud in her nose. She was wearing a black dress, long-sleeved

and high-necked.

And fitted. Very fitted. Kriya had a lot to fit. In a good way.

Averted my gaze, hoping she hadn’t caught me looking. Not appropriate to stare at a professional contact—competitor, in fact. But what was a competitor doing in my office?

My eyes, searching for somewhere safe to land, alighted upon my computer screen. There was a new email from my PA, sent at nine a.m. sharp. Subject line:

Don’t forget your new office mate Kriya is starting today!

Gaped at screen.

I’d known I was going to have to start sharing my office. It had been framed as a request, but saying no had not been an option. (Checked with Farah, thinking she might have leverage as group manager. She said: “Thank your stars you’ve got an office at all, Charles. I practically had to threaten to go on strike to get it signed off. You don’t want to risk reminding Facilities and HR they made a concession. They’d be all too happy to walk it back.”)

No one had told me who was going to be sharing my office, though. I knew they were coming over with the Product Liability partner we’d poached from Brown, Rosenburg and Cushway. But I hadn’t bothered asking their name. Hadn’t thought it would make a difference.

Kriya looked at me, then went away.

Anne-Laure’s voice said, from the phone: “Hello? Are you there?”

CG, after a pause: “Yes. I’m here. You cut out for a moment.”

Anne-Laure: “Yes, sorry, it was not the line. There was a little bit of an incident. I was driving, and when you said we might have to pay £1 million . . . however, it is all fine. Nothing is damaged, and I have pulled over. Did you say they are suing us for £1 million? The contract says they are entitled to the money?”

Managed to complete the call without making Anne-Laure drive into a tree (again). Only casualty was my ego. This is what Farah means when she says I must improve my bedside manner with clients.

Kriya nowhere to be seen. She’d taken her things with her, instead of leaving them at the desk opposite me. Maybe she wasn’t going to be sharing my office after all, notwithstanding PA’s email. But it wasn’t like my PA to get something like that wrong.

Found myself wishing Loretta had been there to interpret Kriya’s reaction upon seeing me. Loretta also not great at bedside manner—must be genetic—but you can trust her to be forthright. Told her once, after that conference where I last saw Kriya:

“I think Kriya Rajasekar doesn’t like me.”

Hoping for reassurance: You must be imagining it, you barely know each other, etc.

Loretta: “You did correct her mistake. In the middle of her talk, in front of everybody.”

CG: “She mixed up the case names. It was nothing personal. Probably a trainee put the slides together. Though she should have checked.”

Loretta: “Nobody asked you to raise your hand while she was speaking and tell the whole audience. You could have mentioned it after she was done, one-on-one.”

CG: “But then the audience might not have caught the error.”

Loretta: “Well, there you have it. You were devoted to the truth, so that’s what you get. If you were devoted to getting Hot Lawyer Who Hates You to like you, you should have made a different choice.”

Loretta is a five on the Kinsey scale, or a two, or whatever number means she is primarily attracted to women but would make an exception for Gong Yoo. She stalked Kriya online early on in our acquaintance, and again whenever I happened to run into Kriya over the years. She found Kriya’s Instagram account a few years back and made inappropriate noises, disgusting to hear from a cousin. (Loretta: “You have good taste, Charles, but no game. That is your tragedy.”)

CG: “You think she does dislike me, then?”

Loretta: “Biu Gor”—only calls me this when she’s taking the piss—“I have never met this woman in my life. I have no idea what she thinks of you.”

Suspected I didn’t need her insight just then, anyway. Kriya hadn’t exactly looked delighted. She probably could have competed with Anne-Laure in a Most Horrified Expression contest.

Leaned back in my chair, pinching the bridge of my nose.

Luckily (or not), I didn’t have the chance to brood, because Ma rang. Told her I was at work.

Ma: “You’re always at work. If I don’t call because you’re at work, I’ll never get to speak to my son.”

Could see her point. “OK, but I’ve got a meeting in an hour’s time. What’s up?”

She hesitated. Showed she felt some shame, at least. “I’ve been talking to Ba.”

Head started throbbing. Took off my glasses so I could massage my temples.

CG: “Why are you talking to Ba? I told you to block him.”

Ma: “I don’t know how to block him.” (Keeps refusing my offers to walk her through it.) “Anyway, he’s your father.”

CG: “Let me deal with him, then. The whole point of divorcing him was so you don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

Drives me round the bend. They split almost twenty years ago. Ba didn’t worry about Ma when he cut and ran, leaving her with a mountain of debt and a son to raise on her own. He fucked her over and all she says is, I only had one husband. It’s not so easy to stop worrying.

Ma: “He’s having problems with his business.”

I was going to need fresh air for this conversation. Told Ma to hold on and grabbed my coat.

Went down via the stairs to the back entrance, opening on an alley. Smelled of cigarette smoke and piss as usual. Importantly, nobody there. Kicked a couple of cigarette butts away and leaned against the cold wall after checking it was free of pigeon shit.

CG: “Which business is this?” Ba always has some “business” cooking. “The instant coffee thing? Or is it some new wheeze?”

Ma: “No, but this was very promising. You know gwaat saa? ‘Gua sha’ in Mandarin. You can use it to scrape the face, the body, a lot of benefits. My friend had neck pain and the doctors only told her to take painkillers. She used gwaat saa, no more pain. Now it’s becoming popular among the gwai lo, they’re putting it on their TikTok. You haven’t seen the videos? A lot on my phone.”

Put Ma on speaker and Googled while she was talking.

Gua sha are flat stones you rub on yourself. Said to cure everything from acne to liver inflammation. Load of bollocks, obviously.

CG: “Don’t people say ‘gwaat saa’ to mean ‘can’t make money’?”

If we’d been talking about anyone else, I might have suggested he should “gwaat lung.” Get rich doing something shady. Except Ba’s tried that. No one wants him going down that road again.

Thing is, Ba’s probably not wrong there’s money in gua sha. Ba being Ba, he’s not going to be the one to make it.

CG: “Has Ba ever thought about just getting a normal job?”

Ma: “He set up the company already. A big Western company ordered a lot of units. But there was some issue—I’m not sure what happened—Ba said somebody bad-mouthed him to the company—anyway, the buyer pulled out. But Ba already confirmed the order with the factory. Now the factory is saying they will sue him if he doesn’t pay. He’s at his wits’ end. You know, the oldest girl, what’s her name—”

CG: “Teodora.”

Ma: “She’ll be finishing secondary school soon. How is he going to manage her education? He says she wants to study art. Art!”

CG: “Teo’s interested in animation. She’s looking at universities in the Philippines. I’ll sort Teo, don’t worry—”

Ma: “But it’s not only her. It’s everything. Ba’s had such bad luck, these past few years. He’s thinking of borrowing from loan sharks. If he does that and they come after him because he cannot pay, what is going to happen to Iza and the children?”

CG: “He’s the one who decided to marry Iza and have another family. How is it your problem?”

Ma: “You always say this is not my problem. How can I not think about them? I know how Iza feels. And she has three children. I only had one, and you were so good, you didn’t cause me any trouble.”

Ma always knows where to stick the pins in. Felt guilty for being exasperated, which made me even more exasperated. Why is she like this? I’ve got nothing against Iza and I get along with the kids, but they’re my half-siblings. Ma doesn’t have to give a shit about them.

After what happened last time, I swore I was going to push back with Ba. Loretta says if I let him fend for himself, he might learn his lesson and stop sinking funds he doesn’t have in pie-in-the-sky ventures.

But I’ve seen what happens when Ba fends for himself. If he didn’t learn from three years in jail, what’s me cutting him off going to do?

Ma: “We can’t punish the children because Ba is not practical.”

Maybe if she got a dog, she’d have less time for Ba. Opened inbox on phone, tapped out MA DOG? and emailed it to myself.

CG: “How much is he in the hole for?”

She told me.

Took me a moment to find my voice. “But that’s fifty thousand pounds.”

Ma, tragically: “Now you see.”

CG: “How do you spend that much on stones?! What are they made of, pure gold?”

Ma: “For the best ones, must be jade. Not cheap.”

CG: “No kidding!”

Ma: “It wasn’t just buying the gwaat saa. He invested in a website, hired a designer. Shopping is all online now, so that’s very important. He hired some young people to advertise the product on their Facebook—”

CG: “Oh my God!”

Ma: “That’s not even everything. If you knew it all, you would be so stressed. I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight, after talking to Ba. That’s why I called you.”

CG: “Right. OK. I’ll handle it. All right? There’s no need to worry about it.”

Ma: “But can you manage? It’s so much money.”

CG: “If I said I can cover it, I can cover it. What’s the point of doing this job if I can’t afford to fund whatever idiotic get-rich-quick scheme Ba comes up with?”

Ma: “You sound stressed out. Are you stressed out? I think you work too hard.”

No arguing with that. What does Ma want me to do? I could quit my job and go mountaineering in the Andes, but then what would happen to her and Ba and Iza and the kids?

CG: “I’m fine. But can you do one thing for me?”

Ma: “What?”

CG: “Go and find . . .” Wasn’t sure who to suggest, then remembered Loretta’s younger brother was home on a “gap year,” i.e., skiving and leeching off his parents. “Go and find Freeman—”

Ma: “Why Freeman?”

CG: “He plays so many video games, he should be good at tech. Get him to block Ba’s number on your phone. OK? It’s my birthday in five months’ time, it can be your present to me. Bye, Ma.”

Went back up the stairs to sixth floor. Felt like I was dragging a boulder behind me, weighing down every step. I could come up with fifty grand. Would blow a hole in my savings, such as they are. Cleaned them out when I bought the flat from the landlord a few years ago, even with the massive

mortgage I took out. Could have got somewhere cheaper if I’d moved farther out, but I was used to the flat by then—had been renting it for years.

Throat felt tight. Felt like I’d been running all my life and looked up to find myself in the same bloody place. No progress, no possibility of change. Just me doing the same thing over and over again, hoping for a different outcome each time.

Feeling was familiar. Get it whenever I have to deal with Ba.

He doesn’t contact me directly, even though I don’t have him blocked. He spends all day long online, gambling and getting scammed by dodgy Facebook accounts with profile photos of attractive young women. He could WhatsApp me, email, whatever. But he’s never the one to break the news about his latest crisis. Last time, it was Iza.

She didn’t ask for money. They don’t have to. They know I’ll understand why they’ve got in touch.

Good old Charles. Reliable as the Bank of England.

Relief to get back to my desk, to the deluge of new emails in my inbox. Anne-Laure wanted a note on why I thought the claimant was entitled to £1 million in damages. Already did this for them—twenty-seven pages of closely argued analysis—but she wanted a two-hundred-word summary she could ping on to the Board.

And there were directions from the court on the DLP case, setting dates for the hearing. Farah had forwarded a request from the client for an urgent meeting to discuss next steps.

It was looking like I’d be staying late at the office. Needed to text Loretta, or she’d wait for me to have dinner and probably forget to eat.

Fumbled on desk for my phone. A noise from the other side of the room made me look up.

The noise was the chair at the desk opposite me creaking. Because Kriya was sitting in it.

She must have been there when I came back from my call with Ma. And I hadn’t acknowledged her.

It had been at least ten minutes since I’d got back. We’d been sitting in silence the whole time.

If Kriya hadn’t disliked me before, she definitely disliked me now. Even I knew blanking people was commonly considered impolite. You were supposed to say hi to them. Especially if they were your new colleague you were sharing an office with.

But it would be weird to greet her now. Too late. Wasn’t it? Sneaked a glance across the room. Kriya was staring at her screen. Maybe she hadn’t noticed?

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Behind Frenemy Lines’ by Zen Cho appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

About Love and Other Paradoxes: One of the greatest love stories in history gets derailed when a struggling poet at Cambridge runs into a time-traveler who agrees to help him find his muse—a thoughtful and uplifting romantic comedy for fans of About Time and The Midnight Library.

A truly satisfying romance is not just about two people finding their perfect match: it’s about each of them finding themselves. For some characters, a crucial part of that process is expressing themselves creatively.

Romances about creatives appeal for a lot of reasons. When so many of us aspire to be writers, artists, or musicians, there’s joy in seeing characters gain recognition for their art. There’s also a lot of self-aware enjoyment to be had when novelists poke fun at the foibles of their creative protagonists. Finally, creative people tend to be a bit of a mess, and messy characters make for a fun romcom!

Here are six romances where both partners are creatively inclined, and where the romantic resolution is tied up with each of the characters finding creative fulfilment.

Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola

Kiki is a student radio host with big ambitions and a no-dating rule. Malakai is the new boy on campus, an aspiring filmmaker Kiki initially writes off as a womaniser. When an impulsive kiss between them leads to drama, Kiki and Malakai embark on a staged relationship to salvage her reputation with the university’s close-knit Black community.

Employing romance tropes (fake dating, anyone?) with knowing panache, Babalola’s funny, charming debut novel excels at showing its loveable characters finding their creative voices as they find each other. And if you haven’t read it yet, now’s the perfect time — the followup, a second-chance romance titled Sweet Heat, is coming this summer!

The Friend Zone Experiment by Zen Cho

Renee and Ket Siong meet at art school in London. But the tangled history between their families brings a premature end to both their budding romance and Ket Siong’s dreams of being a concert pianist. Ten years later, with Renee now a successful fashion designer, their lives intersect again, but the issues that came between them have only intensified: will the spark between them survive?

While Cho’s focus is on the family drama and political corruption that drive a wedge between the lovers, Ket Siong and Renee’s respect and support for each other’s art is a consistent balancing force. The novel also doesn’t shy away from depicting the economic realities that determine who gets to pursue their creative passions and who is forced to put them on the backburner.

When I Think of You by Myah Ariel

Another second-chance romance, When I Think of You finds its film-school sweethearts now at opposite ends of the Hollywood food chain: Danny, wunderkind director with a famous father, and Kaliya, stuck behind the reception desk at a film studio. When Danny offers Kaliya a job working on his new movie, their reconnection is threatened by studio politics and scandal.

Ariel’s insider knowledge of the movie business brings depth to her portrayal of Kaliya, worn-out without being jaded, and her depiction of nepo babies using their privilege to lift others up is refreshingly hopeful. This warm, wise novel makes it a joy to watch Kaliya and Danny find each other again, refilling each other’s creative wells in the process.

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

When Clementine finds a strange man in her apartment, her confusion only deepens when she discovers he’s from seven years in the past. Turns out the apartment is a time portal, allowing present-day Clementine to cohabit with the past version of Iwan, a chef with dreams of opening his own restaurant.

Clementine’s whirlwind romance with past-Iwan gets complicated when she runs into present-Iwan in the world outside. Initially repelled by the closed-off, hardened person he’s become, she’s eventually able to help him reconnect with the dream he’s lost sight of. And in return, past-Iwan’s passion for his art enables watercolourist Clementine to rediscover her own creative side, long sidelined by a day job that’s worn her down. Poston’s novel is a fun, moving examination of how success can warp our purpose and how grief can disconnect us from ourselves.

Love and Other Paradoxes by Catriona Silvey

Like The Seven Year Slip, my own book Love and Other Paradoxes uses time travel to play with the idea of past and future selves. When student Joe finds out, courtesy of rogue time traveller Esi, that his dreams of becoming a famous poet are going to come true, he tries to pursue his future muse Diana in the present. But as he helps Esi to achieve her own dream of changing the past, he begins to realise she’s a much better match for his present self. Esi is also an artist, and her laid-back, joyful relationship with her art helps to point Joe in the direction of a healthier attitude to his own creative work.

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

Sally is a comedy writer on an SNL-like late night sketch show. Noah is a gorgeous, successful singer-songwriter who Sally thinks is way out of her league. When Noah appears as a celebrity guest on Sally’s show and asks for help workshopping his sketch, their connection is immediate. But Sally is held back by her own internalised expectation that attractive men aren’t interested in average-looking, funny women.

As their connection deepens over email during the pandemic, so does their appreciation of each other’s creative work. As Sally comes to know Noah better through his back catalogue, she moves from mocking his “cheesy” output to understanding and respecting it. As the two of them navigate the complexities of dating as public figures, they come to a conclusion that resonates for any creative person: ‘The point of life is to find the thing you’re good at and enjoy doing, and to do it for other people.’

The post Six Romances About Creatives In Love appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Zen Cho’s The Friend Zone Experiment marks her entrance into contemporary romance, diverging from her usual fantasy genre. The novel centres on Renee Goh, the daughter of a wealthy businessman, who is striving for her father’s approval and inheritance against her older brothers. Her past love interest, Yap Ket Siong, re-enters her life, rekindling old feelings and unresolved issues from their university days.

The book delves into the complex dynamics of family, class, corruption, and ethics, adding layers to the central romance. Renee’s struggle for respect and recognition within her family and the high-stakes rivalry with her brothers are particularly engaging, drawing readers into her world.

However, the novel is not without its flaws. The writing lacks Cho’s usual wit and playful humour, as a result, at times the prose feels rather flat. The characters, particularly Renee, come across as lacklustre and the narrative often feels more suited to a YA audience than an adult one.

Renee’s character is marked by a complex mix of determination, vulnerability, and unresolved emotions from her past love. However, her rich girl persona with all her privileges makes it hard for the reader to connect and empathise with her all that much due to the constant whining.

On the other hand, Ket Siong’s character, while endearing, is overshadowed by the overwhelming family drama. His personal interests and struggles are given minimal attention, making him seem more like a supporting character in his own story. The resolution of his conflicts also feels rushed, and Renee’s role in his life is not sufficiently explored.

The relationship between Renee and Ket Siong is a slow-burn, second-chance romance peppered with mystery. Their backstory, which unfolds through flashbacks, adds some depth to their relationship but also feels somewhat tedious. The pacing is frustratingly slow, and the eventual revelation of their past misunderstandings feels anticlimactic.

Overall, The Friend Zone Experiment is a mixed bag. It offers some compelling moments and intricate family dynamics but falls short of Cho’s usual brilliance. The novel’s mistitling and lack of depth in character development make it less satisfying than expected. While it provides a different take on contemporary romance, it ultimately misses the mark in delivering a memorable and engaging story.

The Friend Zone Experiment is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Friend Zone Experiment? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

From the outside, Renee Goh’s life looks perfect. She’s thirty and beautiful, runs a glamorous―and profitable―women’s clothing company in London, and is dating a hot Taiwanese pop star.

But Renee is lonely. Estranged from her family in Singapore, she practically lives at the office, and now she’s just been dumped by her supposed boyfriend. Who she never saw anyway, so why is she ruining her Instagram-ready makeup by crying?

Before she can curl up on the couch with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, Renee’s father calls. He’s retiring, and, thanks to the screw-ups of her wastrel brothers, he is considering her as the next CEO of the family Chahaya Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Southeast Asia. That stamp of her father’s approval would mean everything to Renee, but can she cooperate with the brothers who drove her out of Singapore?

But fate isn’t done with her. That same night, Renee bumps into her first love, Yap Ket Siong, who broke her heart during university. They spend a wonderful night together, but Ket Siong is pursuing a dangerous vengeance for his family. In the light of day is there any hope for the two of them?

The post Review: The Friend Zone Experiment by Zen Cho appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho
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A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller
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In Blade of Secrets, the first book in Tricia Levenseller’s exciting new YA fantasy duology, a teenage blacksmith with social anxiety is forced to go on the run to protect the world from the most powerful magical sword she’s ever made.

The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
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Set in a world of goblin wars, stag-sized battle ravens, and assassins who kill with deadly tattoos, Christopher Buehlman’s The Blacktongue Thief begins a ‘dazzling’ (Robin Hobb) fantasy adventure unlike any other.

How to Mars by David Ebenbach
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What happens when your dream mission to Mars is a reality television nightmare? This debut science-fiction romp with heart follows the tradition of Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles, with a dash of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and a hint of The Real World.

The Shadow in the Glass by J.J.A. Harwood
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A deliciously gothic story of wishes and curses – a new dark fairy tale set against a Victorian backdrop full of lace and smoke.

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley
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For fans of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and David Mitchell, a genre bending, time twisting alternative history that asks whether it’s worth changing the past to save the future, even if it costs you everyone you’ve ever loved.

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
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Rivers Solomon’s Sorrowland is a genre-bending work of Gothic fiction. Here, monsters aren’t just individuals, but entire nations. It is a searing, seminal book that marks the arrival of a bold, unignorable voice in American fiction.

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
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Set in a brand-new, Norse-inspired world, and packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance, The Shadow of the Gods begins an epic new fantasy saga from bestselling author John Gwynne.

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
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Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark returns to his popular alternate Cairo universe for his fantasy novel debut, A Master of Djinn.

Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace
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One young woman faces down an all-powerful corporation in this all-too-near future science fiction debut that reads like a refreshing take on Ready Player One, with a heavy dose of Black Mirror.

Spells Trouble by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
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Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins to learn what it means to be Gatekeepers–the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life.

We Are Satellites by Sarah Pinsker
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From award-winning author Sarah Pinsker comes a novel about one family and the technology that divides them.

What May fantasy and sci-fi releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post May 2021 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

2021 is absolutely jam-packed with fantasy and science fiction books that readers around the world are going to devour! Between the months of January and June, readers can expect magic, warring kingdoms, witches, magic, post-apocalyptic worlds, and so, so much more!

Read on to discover some of the January to June fantasy and sci-fi books we’re excited for and be sure to let us know in the comments what books you’re looking forward to!

Want more 2021 releases? Check out our lists for Most Anticipated 2021 Books, 2021 Queer Book Releases, 2021 Romance Book Releases, 2021 YA Book Releases, and 2021 Queer SFF Book Releases.

JANUARY

The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick
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Darkly magical and intricately imagined, The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a rich and dazzling fantasy adventure in which a con artist, a vigilante, and a crime lord must unite to save their city.

The Frozen Crown by Greta Kelly
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A princess with a powerful and dangerous secret must find a way to save her country from ruthless invaders in this exciting debut fantasy, the first novel in a thrilling duology packed with heroism, treachery, magic, and war.

Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long
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Epic fantasy featuring warrior priestesses and fickle gods at war, for readers of Brian Staveley’s Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne.

The Stranger Times by C. K. McDonnell
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There are Dark Forces at work in our world (and in Manchester in particular) and so thank God The Stranger Times is on hand to report them. 

Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews
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From award-winning author, Ilona Andrews, an all-new novel set in the New York Times #1 bestselling Kate Daniels World and featuring Julie Lennart-Olsen, Kate and Curran’s ward.

The Forever Sea by Joshua Phillip Johnson
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The first book in a new environmental epic fantasy series set in a world where ships kept afloat by magical hearthfires sail an endless grass sea.

Brother Red by Adrian Selby
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From one of the most exciting new voices in dark epic fantasy comes an intensely brutal and brilliantly cinematic novel: the story of a soldier torn between loyalty to her family and her quest to preserve a kingdom’s future.

Knight’s Ransom by Jeff Wheeler
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From Jeff Wheeler, the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Kingfountain novels, comes an epic new series of warring kingdoms, deadly family rivalries, and fearless loyalty.

FEBRUARY

Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell
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Ancillary Justice meets Red, White & Royal Blue in Everina Maxwell’s exciting debut.

The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
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When a banished witch falls in love with the legendary trickster Loki, she risks the wrath of the gods in this moving, subversive debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology.

The Black Coast by Mike Brooks
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Epic world-building at its finest, in an upcoming author’s fantasy debut. The Black Coast is the start of an unmissable series filled with war-dragons, armoured knights, sea-faring raiders, dangerous magic and crowd-pleasing battle scenes.

Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard
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Award-winning author Aliette de Bodard returns with a powerful romantic fantasy that reads like The Goblin Emperor meets Howl’s Moving Castle in a pre-colonial Vietnamese-esque world. 

Game Changer by Neal Shusterman
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This high-concept novel from the National Book Award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of the Arc of a Scythe series tackles the most urgent themes of our time, making this a must-buy for readers who are starting to ask big questions about their own role in the universe.

Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters by Aimee Ogden
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Sun-Daughters, Sea-Daughters has all the wonder and romance of a classic sci-fi novel, with the timelessness of a beloved fairy tale. 

A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel
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Showing that truth is stranger than fiction, Sylvain Neuvel weaves a sci-fi thriller reminiscent of Blake Crouch and Andy Weir, blending a fast moving, darkly satirical look at 1940s rocketry with an exploration of the amorality of progress and the nature of violence in A History of What Comes Next.

This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria
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An #ownvoices debut YA fantasy, This Golden Flame is an epic adventure full of magic, rebellion, and finding where you truly belong.

MARCH

Dead Space by Kali Wallace
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An investigator must solve a brutal murder on a claustrophobic asteroid mine in this tense science fiction thriller from the author of Salvation Day. 

The Councillor by E.J. Beaton
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This Machiavellian fantasy follows a scholar’s quest to choose the next ruler of her kingdom amidst lies, conspiracy, and assassination

Skyward Inn by Aliya Whiteley
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Skyward Inn is Jamaica Inn by way of Ursula Le Guin, bringing the influences, too, of Angela Carter, Michel Faber and Jeff Vandermeer to create a fantastic story of love, belonging, and togetherness. Asking questions of ideas of the individual and the collective, of ownership and historical possession, and of the experience of being human, it is at once timeless and thoroughly of its time.

A Trial of Sorcerers by Elise Kova
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This is the first book in a young adult, epic fantasy that’s a tale of competition, coming of age, distant lands, elemental magic, and romance. It’s perfect for fans of the Legend of Korra, Truthwitch, and A Sorcery of Thorns.

Machinehood by S.B. Divya
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From the Hugo Award nominee S.B. Divya, Zero Dark Thirty meets The Social Network in this science fiction thriller about artificial intelligence, sentience, and labor rights in a near future dominated by the gig economy.

Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley
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In this charming debut fantasy perfect for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Girls of Paper and Fire, a witch cursed to never love meets a girl hiding her own dangerous magic, and the two strike a dangerous bargain to save their queendom.

Burning Girls and Other Stories by Veronica Schanoes
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In Burning Girls and Other Stories, Veronica Schanoes crosses borders and genres with stories of fierce women at the margins of society burning their way toward the center. This debut collection introduces readers to a fantasist in the vein of Karen Russell and Kelly Link, with a voice all her own.

We Shall Sing a Song Into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart
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A Canticle for Leibowitz meets The Hunt for Red October in We Shall Sing a Song into the Deep, a lyrical and page-turning coming-of-age exploration of duty, belief, and the post-apocalypse from breakout newcomer Andrew Kelly Stewart.

APRIL

The ​Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book three in her Blood and Ash series.

The Helm of Midnight by Marina J. Lostetter
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A legendary serial killer stalks the streets of a fantastical city in The Helm of Midnight, the stunning first novel in a new trilogy from acclaimed author Marina Lostetter.

The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner
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An evocative combination of fantasy, history, and Jewish folklore, The Light of the Midnight Stars is fairytale-inspired novel from the author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

The Last Watch by J.S. Dewes
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The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes’ fast-paced, sf adventure The Last Watch, where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation.

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman
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From award-winning author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes an incisive, action-packed tale that explores big questions about technology, grief, love, and humanity.

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird
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Set in a world where a virus stalks our male population, The End of Men is an electrifying and unforgettable debut from a remarkable new talent that asks: what would our world truly look like without men?

Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries, #6) by Martha Wells
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The New York Times bestselling security droid with a heart (though it wouldn’t admit it!) is back in Fugitive Telemetry, a new standalone adventure!

Unity by Elly Bangs
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Evoking the grittiness of Mad Max and the idealism of Sense8, this absorbing sci-fi debut is a dynamic vision of the fluidity of identity. With Unity, breakout author Elly Bangs has created a prescient, moving, and unforgettable adventure that expands upon human consciousness and its possibilities.

MAY

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
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Hypnotic, propulsive, and utterly transporting, Jennifer Saint’s Ariadne forges a new epic, outside the traditional narratives of heroism and glory that leave no room for women.

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho
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A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller
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In Blade of Secrets, the first book in Tricia Levenseller’s exciting new YA fantasy duology, a teenage blacksmith with social anxiety is forced to go on the run to protect the world from the most powerful magical sword she’s ever made. 

How to Mars by David Ebenbach
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What happens when your dream mission to Mars is a reality television nightmare? This debut science-fiction romp with heart follows the tradition of Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles, with a dash of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and a hint of The Real World.

Spells Trouble by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
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Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins to learn what it means to be Gatekeepers–the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life.

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
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Rivers Solomon’s Sorrowland is a genre-bending work of Gothic fiction. Here, monsters aren’t just individuals, but entire nations. It is a searing, seminal book that marks the arrival of a bold, unignorable voice in American fiction

The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
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Set in a world of goblin wars, stag-sized battle ravens, and assassins who kill with deadly tattoos, Christopher Buehlman’s The Blacktongue Thief begins a ‘dazzling’ (Robin Hobb) fantasy adventure unlike any other. 

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley
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For fans of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and David Mitchell, a genre bending, time twisting alternative history that asks whether it’s worth changing the past to save the future, even if it costs you everyone you’ve ever loved. 

JUNE

Star Eater by Kerstin Hall
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A phantasmagorical indictment of hereditary power, Star Eatertakes readers deep into a perilous and uncanny world where even the most powerful women are forced to choose what sacrifices they will make, so that they might have any choice at all.

The Tangleroot Palace: Stories by Marjorie Liu
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New York Times bestseller and Hugo, British Fantasy, Romantic Times, and Eisner award-winning author of the graphic novel, Monstress, Marjorie Liu leads you deep into the heart of the tangled woods. In her long-awaited debut story collection, dark, lush, and spellbinding short fiction you will find unexpected detours, dangerous magic, and even more dangerous women.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
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Practical Magic meets Twister in this debut contemporary fantasy standalone about heartbreaking power, the terror of our collapsing atmosphere, and the ways we unknowingly change our fate.

The All-Consuming World by Cassandra Khaw
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Cassandra Khaw’s debut novel is a page-turning exploration of humans and machines that is perfect for readers of Ann Leckie, Ursula Le Guin, and Kameron Hurley.

The Ninth Metal by Benjamin Percy
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From award-winning author Benjamin Percy comes an explosive, breakout speculative thriller in which a powerful new metal arrives on Earth in the wake of a meteor shower, triggering a massive new “gold rush” in the Midwest and turning life as we know it on its head. The first of a cycle of novels set in a shared universe.

The Coward by Stephen Aryan
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Who will take up the mantle and slay the evil in the Frozen North, saving all from death and destruction? Not Kell Kressia, he’s done his part…

Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell
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Swordplay, magic, intrigue and friendships stronger than iron: the first volume in the new swashbuckling fantasy series by the bestselling author of The Greatcoats.

Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
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Two girls on opposite sides of a war discover they’re fighting for a common purpose–and falling for each other–in Zoe Hana Mikuta’s high-octane debut Gearbreakers, perfect for fans of Pacific Rim, Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Saga, and Marie Lu’s Legend series.

What 2021 fantasy and sci-fi books are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 48 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases To Look Out For In 2021 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

This months sees books featuring Robin Hood’s children, unfamiliar planets, a novel inspired by West African folklore, an alternate 1880’s London, an d much more!

The Ghosts of Sherwood by Carrie Vaughn
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Carrie Vaughn’s The Ghosts of Sherwood revisits the Robin Hood legend with a story of the famed archer’s children.

Sisters of Sword and Song by Rebecca Ross
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From the author of The Queen’s Rising comes a thrilling YA stand-alone fantasy about the unbreakable bond between sisters. Perfect for fans of Ember in the Ashes, Sky in the Deep, and Court of Fives.

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks
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The #1 bestselling author of World War Z takes on the Bigfoot legend with a tale that blurs the lines between human and beast–and asks what we are capable of in the face of the unimaginable.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
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The first in an fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho
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Zen Cho returns with a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history.

Interlibrary Loan by Gene Wolfe
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Interlibrary Loan is the brilliant follow-up to A Borrowed Man: the final work of fiction from multi-award winner and national literary treasure Gene Wolfe.

The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso
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The Obsidian Tower begins a bold new epic fantasy trilogy in which the broken magic of one woman will either save an entire continent-or completely destroy it.

The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison
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Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor, returns with The Angel of the Crows, a fantasy novel of alternate 1880s London, where killers stalk the night and the ultimate power is naming.

Red Noise by John P Murphy
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Caught up in a space station turf war between gangs and corrupt law, a lone asteroid miner decides to take them all down.

Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson
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Andra wakes up from a cryogenic sleep 1,000 years later than she was supposed to, forcing her to team up with an exiled prince to navigate an unfamiliar planet in this smart, thrilling sci-fi adventure, perfect for fans of Renegades and Aurora Rising.

The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty
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The final chapter in the bestselling, critically acclaimed Daevabad Trilogy, in which a con-woman and an idealistic djinn prince join forces to save a magical kingdom from a devastating civil war.

The Unconquered City by K. A. Doore
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The final volume in K. A. Doore’s critically-acclaimed assassin fantasy series, praised by Publishers Weekly as “a hit with fans of Sarah J. Maas and George R.R. Martin”.

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

The post June 2020 Book Releases: Fantasy + Sci-Fi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Get ready to escape 2020 with its upcoming fantasy and sci-fi book releases! While there’s many, many exciting new books being released this year, we’ve picked a few titles that are releasing between January and June this year!

There’s plenty of favourites authors releasing new books, including Sarah J. Maas, Mark Lawrence, Veronica Roth, Max Brooks, Sarah Gailey, Yoon Ha Lee, and Tamsyn Muir, along with debut authors releasing their first novels!

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you are looking forward to any of them!

The post Must-Have 2020 Fantasy + Sci-Fi Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

A new year brings new books and we cannot wait to get our hands on some of these 2020 book releases! This year holds many exciting books from both loved authors such as Sarah J. Maas, Eoin Colfer, Christina Lauren, Cassandra Clare, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Michele Campbell, along with debut authors releasing their first novel! There’s definitely something for everyone, including plenty of fantasy, thrillers, retellings, and romance!

Read on to discover just a few of our favourite January to June 2020 releases and tell us in the comments if you’re looking forward to any of them!

JANUARY

Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
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Rooted in the hope that can live in anger, Riot Baby is as much an intimate family story as a global dystopian narrative. It burns fearlessly toward revolution and has quietly devastating things to say about love, fury, and the black American experience.

A Beginning at the End by Mike Chen
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Six years after a global pandemic wiped out most of the planet’s population, the survivors are rebuilding the country, split between self-governing cities, hippie communes and wasteland gangs.

The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Other Girl and Justice for Sara comes a thrilling psychological drama about a woman who believes she escaped a brutal murder years ago—but does anyone else believe her?

Lady Hotspur by Tessa Gratton
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Inspired by Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Lady Hotspur continues the saga of Innis Lear, centuries later, as revolution, love, and a betrayal corrupt the descendants of two warring kingdoms.

Highfire by Eoin Colfer
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From the New York Times bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series comes a hilarious and high-octane adult novel about a vodka-drinking, Flashdance-loving dragon who lives an isolated life in the bayous of Louisiana—and the raucous adventures that ensue when he crosses paths with a fifteen-year-old troublemaker on the run from a crooked sheriff.

You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley
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Acclaimed author Colleen Oakley delivers a heart-wrenching and unforgettable love story about a woman who must choose between the man she loves and the man fate has chosen for her, in a novel that reminds us that the best life is one led by the heart.

Infinity Son by Adam Silvera
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Balancing epic and intensely personal stakes, bestselling author Adam Silvera’s Infinity Son is a gritty, fast-paced adventure about two brothers caught up in a magical war generations in the making.

The God Game by Danny Tobey
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Charlie and his friends enter the G.O.D. Game, a video game run by underground hackers and controlled by a mysterious AI that believes it’s God. Through their phone-screens and high-tech glasses, the teens’ realities blur with a virtual world of runes, gods, mythical creatures, and more. But then the threatening messages start. Worship me. Obey me. Who else is playing this game, and how far will they go to win?

FEBRUARY

The Antidote for Everything by Kimmery Martin
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In this whip-smart and timely novel from acclaimed author Kimmery Martin, two doctors travel a surprising path when they must choose between treating their patients and keeping their jobs.

Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold
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Elana K. Arnold, author of the Printz Honor book Damsel, returns with a dark, engrossing, blood-drenched tale of the familiar threats to female power—and one girl’s journey to regain it.

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
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Propulsive and addictive, and perfect for fans of “You,” The Other Mrs. is the twisty new psychological thriller from Mary Kubica, the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl.

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey
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In Upright Women Wanted, award-winning author Sarah Gailey reinvents the pulp Western with an explicitly antifascist, near-future story of queer identity.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
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The secrets lurking in a rundown roadside motel ensnare a young woman, just as they did her aunt thirty-five years before, in this new atmospheric suspense novel from the national bestselling and award-winning author of The Broken Girls.

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
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Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice, Adalyn Grace’s All the Stars and Teeth is a thrilling fantasy for fans of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval and Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series.

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
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Hailed as a “marvel of a book” and “brilliant and unflinching,” Alexis Schaitkin’s stunning debut Saint X is a haunting portrait of grief, obsession, and the bond between two sisters never truly given the chance to know one another.

The Seventh Sun by Lani Forbes
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Rich in imagination and romance, and based on the legends and history of the Aztec and Maya people, The Seventh Sun brings to vivid life a world on the edge of apocalyptic disaster.

MARCH

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas launches her brand-new CRESCENT CITY series with House of Earth and Blood: the story of half-Fae and half-human Bryce Quinlan as she seeks revenge in a contemporary fantasy world of magic, danger, and searing romance.

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
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Exploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
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Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.

Docile by K.M. Szpara
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Docile is a science fiction parable about love and sex, wealth and debt, abuse and power, a challenging tour de force that at turns seduces and startles.

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren
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From the New York Times bestselling author behind The Unhoneymooners comes a delightfully charming love story about what happens when two assistants tasked with keeping a rocky relationship from explosion start to feel sparks of their own.

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski
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Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s Trilogy, Marie Rutkoski’s The Midnight Lie is an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us―and the lies we tell ourselves.

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
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Sharp Objects meets My Lovely Wife in this tightly drawn debut that peels back the layers of the most complicated of mother-daughter relationships…

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu comes a historical YA fantasy about a musical prodigy and the dangerous lengths she’ll go to make history remember her—perfect for fans of Susanna Clarke and The Hazel Wood.

APRIL

Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth
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The first novel written for an adult audience by the mega-selling author of the Divergent franchise: five twenty-something heroes famous for saving the world when they were teenagers must face even greater demons—and reconsider what it means to be a hero…by destiny or by choice.

Ruthless Gods by Emily A. Duncan
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In her dramatic follow-up to Wicked Saints, the first book in her Something Dark and Holy trilogy, Emily A. Duncan paints a Gothic, icy world where shadows whisper, and no one is who they seem, with a shocking ending that will leave you breathless.

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
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Two wildly different women—one a grifter, the other an heiress—are brought together by the scam of a lifetime in a page-turner from the New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear.

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
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From the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone comes an adorable and fresh romantic comedy about one trouble-making dog who brings together two perfect strangers.

Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova
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The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes 
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With The Year of the Locust, Hayes has penned a breathtaking story about cutting-edge science, a government conspiracy, and one man’s desperate attempt to unravel it all. (Note: According to some retailers, this title has been pushed back yet again to June 2020. The UK version is currently set to September 2020, but after years of previous release dates and delays, this could still change).

Empire City by Matt Gallagher
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The author of Youngblood returns with this bold and provocative novel following a group of super-powered soldiers and civilians as they navigate an imperial America on the precipice of a major upheaval—for fans of The Fortress of Solitude and The Plot Against America.

Not That Kind of Guy by Andie J. Christopher
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An office attraction becomes something more when they’re off the clock in this delightful romantic comedy by the USA Today bestselling author of Not the Girl You Marry.

MAY

Lobizona by Romina Garber
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In Lobizona, the first in the Wolves of No World series, bestselling author Romina Garber weaves together Argentine folklore and what it means to be illegal in a timely, intimate, and emotionally powerful narrative.

Swimming Lessons: Poems by Lili Reinhart
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The debut collection of poetry from Lili Reinhart, the actress and outspoken advocate for mental health awareness and body positivity.

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
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A powerful and moving novel that explores the tragedies and triumphs of life, both large and small, and the universal humanity in us all, Natalie Jenner’s The Jane Austen Society is destined to resonate with readers for years to come.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
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The start of a bold and immersive West African-inspired, feminist fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther. In this world, girls are outcasts by blood and warriors by choice.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
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The Betrothed by Kiera Cass
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Selection series comes The Betrothed, a glittering royal romance sure to captivate her legion of loyal readers and lovers of courtly intrigue alike.

Malorie by Josh Malerman
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In the thrilling sequel to Bird Box, the inspiration for the record-breaking Netflix film that starred Sandra Bullock and “absolutely riveted” Stephen King, New York Times bestselling author Josh Malerman brings unseen horrors to life.

The Book of V. by Anna Solomon
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For readers of The Hours and Fates and Furies, a bold, kaleidoscopic novel intertwining the lives of three women across three centuries as their stories of sex, power, and desire finally converge in the present day.

JUNE

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho
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Zen Cho returns with a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history.

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
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Harrow the Ninth, the sequel to the sensational Gideon the Ninth, turns a galaxy inside out as one necromancer struggles to survive the wreckage of herself aboard the Emperor’s haunted space station.

Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee
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Danger lurks within the roots of Forest of Souls, an epic, unrelenting tale of destiny and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Susan Dennard.

The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell
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From Michele Campbell, the bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband comes a new blockbuster thriller in The Wife Who Knew Too Much.

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
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Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.

Wonderland by Zoje Stage
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If Shirley Jackson wrote The Shining, it might look like this novel from the acclaimed author of Baby Teeth: A mother must become a protector when unnatural forces threaten her family’s new and improved life in a rural farmhouse.

The Second Home by Christina Clancy
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A debut novel set on Cape Cod that centers on a beloved family home and the summer that changed the lives of three siblings forever, perfect for readers of J. Courtney Sullivan and Elin Hilderbrand.

The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
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Making it up the aisle was the easy part: After marrying the heir to the throne, Rebecca “Bex” Porter must survive her own scandals as she adjusts to life in the glamorous British royal family, in this “highly anticipated” follow-up to The Royal We.

What 2020 book release are you most excited for? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Most Anticipated 2020 Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.