I’ve gone to three different author readings over the past three months, and I’ve got to say, they’re all life changing experiences. First of all, there’s almost always refreshments, so if for nothing else, go for that. (Or at least there are if you’re in the immediate vicinity of an Ivy League school). Second of all, there’s nothing more fascinating than listening to an author talk about their process. For this particular reading, I hadn’t even read the book....
Now I’m not talking about heroes who go on a little break for a while, like the Invisible Woman taking maternity leave or whatever. I’m only looking at heroes who woke up one day with the urge to throw their entire costume out of a ten-story window and go fly-fishing in the Pacific Northwest, and then actually went and tried it. They don’t generally succeed for more than a few pages, but it’s the attitude that counts....
Something similar often happens in the bookish space. From rainbow book stacks on Instagram to lists of book recommendations on popular websites, much of the book-related Pride content forgets to include disabled, chronically ill, Deaf, and neurodivergent authors. When disabled 2SLGBTQ+ people look around the bookish internet and don’t see themselves included, it can feel like they can only celebrate the 2SLGBTQ+ part of their identity but not the disabled part of themselves....
When I was younger, I loved horror movies and TV shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark? But now as an adult, I’m incredibly aware that I’m a complete wimp when it comes to reading scary stories. I tend to prefer my stories seasoned with ghouls and spiders rather than made up of everything horror-related. But, thankfully, there are spooky stories for every kind of reader, including kids! So if you’re like me and want to dip into scary stories, but don’t want to get stuck in something truly terrifying, I’ve included some picks for you....
Bedtime stories as a kid always helped me shorten that empty time between when I got in bed and when I actually fell asleep. But, as I’ve moved into adulthood, the fairytales and fables have been replaced with social media and mindless scrolling. I know, I know, this so does not help my inability to sleep. It’s hard to turn it off sometimes and sit in silence instead. Which got me wondering, are there bedtime stories for adults that could take the place of those from my childhood?...
The Vanished Queen by Lisbeth Campbell (August 18) Anza is a bisexual member of her country’s resistance against the despotic King Karolje. She has the evidence—in the form of the previous Queen’s diary—needed to overthrow him. When she has a chance encounter with the King’s son, she convinces him to take part in her plan. But if it fails, their kingdom’s future is even more bleak than it looks under Karolje’s rule....
Here are ten hockey romance novels hot enough to melt the ice. Need more athlete heroes to swoon over beyond these hockey romance books? Check out 3 of the best inclusive sports romances and 20 must-read sports romances.
From memoirs of all kinds to true crime to graphic nonfiction, there’s something for everyone in this month’s batch of new releases — I also have my eye on a paperback release, Thicker than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis by Erica Cirino, which comes out September 22. This month’s nonfiction new releases also take place all across the world, so they’re perfect for learning about new places and a bit of armchair traveling....
As stated on their website, Libro.fm “encourages more people to read while supporting local, independent bookstores.” They share their profits with their independent bookstores partners. So instead of supporting large corporations with your audiobook purchases, you can support your local bookstore. Libro.fm offers a monthly subscription, which gives you a credit for one audiobook per month and discounts on other titles. You can also give a subscription or specific audiobook titles to others, making it the perfect gift for all occasions....
Books for Teens and Tweens The New Girl Code: Launch of a Fashion App by Niki Smit and Janneke Niessen This novel is about a teen named Charlie who has always felt like she doesn’t quite fit in. But when Charlie learns how to code, she finds her niche. Charlie develops her own fashion app and launches it with the help of a team of friends. However, when someone tries to sabotage her app, is Charlie up to the challenge?...
If you’re only going to buy one book… It’s for a baby shower for an acquaintance where you don’t feel the need to buy a large present, or it’s one of the showers where you’re asked to bring a book instead of a card, or it’s just one book as part of a bigger gift bundle. This is the one book I would recommend. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler We were given this book as a present from an old friend (who also gave us other things, but this was the sole book), and it was probably the best book we received as a present....
I believe in happy endings, even though they are often hard won. When times get hard I go back to the stories that lift me up, the ones that show me an LGBT+ character can struggle but ultimately triumph. I’m especially partial to a happy ever after in the romance department. Here are some fantasy and science fiction books where the boy usually gets the boy, the girl usually gets the girl, but most importantly, the ending proves that while it isn’t all rainbows along the way, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and hope wins the day....
An Argument for the Term Workplace Fantasy When office work became a larger part of everyday life, authors began to play with corporate structure in fantasy. As a young professional, I spend many an hour getting up close and personal with Microsoft Office Suite. I can vouch for the veracity of the office work in the below novels. Honestly, I am not surprised many fantasy authors familiar with bureaucracy decide to combine the two....
Picture Book Ocean Books For Kids Chapter Book Ocean Books For Kids Nonfiction Ocean Books For Kids Whether the young reader in your life loves sharks and dolphins, dreams of swimming with mermaids, or is a little hesitant to get in the water, these ocean books for kids will spark their imagination and teach them about the mysterious underwater world that takes up such a huge part of our planet. If you want more facts about the sea, check out our rundown of 8 Books Set on the High Seas....
Body horror can come in the form of both physical and psychological violations of the body, such as disease and afflictions, self-harm and mutilation, and other aberrant forms of sex and abuse. This often results in grisly or downright disturbing visuals and descriptions. Whether you’re looking for a way into the sub-genre or just wanting some new titles, this list has recent releases as well as some older titles. Given that these are body horror books, graphic violence and unsettling descriptions are pretty much a given....
This “charming, confident follow-up to Creatures of Will and Temper” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) picks up in 1927 Long Island, where Ellie West fishes by day and sells moonshine by night to the citizens of her home town. But after Ellie’s father joins a mysterious church whose parishioners possess supernatural powers and a violent hatred for immigrants, Ellie finds she doesn’t know her beloved island, or her father, as well as she thought....
People fall in love with writing all the time; it’s not uncommon to meet someone who says they’re working on a book. Writing is meaningful in a lot of ways, and it’s special when it clearly involves the heart. The quotes of published authors often serve as advice for readers and aspiring writers. If you’re looking for insight from authors who have been there, done that, consider the following quotes by Latinx and Latin American writers....
Today I’m going to run down some of my favorite comedy audiobooks that combine funny words with a funny voice (or 80). You’ll find some great stand-up comedy audiobooks, memoirs, and everything in between. Well, not everything. For example, you will find no books here on vegetal topics, which I assume would fall between stand-up and memoir. There will not be a single mention of ungulates, despite the fact that it is one of my favorite words....
As spooky season approaches with all of its costume parties, you may be on the lookout for bookish attire. For teachers, you want comfortable outfits kids will recognize. Check out the ideas below for inspiration! Book Character Costumes for Teachers of Young Children There are so many great characters to emulate from picture books that it’s hard to know where to begin! Below, I’ve compiled some of my favorites, but this is far from a comprehensive list....
I was a weird one—I came into Harry Potter fanfiction later in my life. While everyone was digging into fanfiction.net and Sugar Quills getting their Harry fix, I was still reading Canon Only Pride and Prejudice stories, and then, between 2008 and 2010, Anything But Canon Twilight fics. After a bit of hopping through fanfiction for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and James Bond (00Q 4 Lyfe!), I found myself suddenly immersed in the world of Harry James Potter—sometimes with very little of the boy himself....
