6 Readathons And Reading Challenges To Start Prepping For In 2023

Readathons happen all year long and are hosted all across the internet, from influencers and bloggers to big pop culture sites, like Pop Sugar’s annual reading challenge and Book Riot’s own Read Harder challenge. But if you’re looking for more readathons to try your hand at, there are plenty out there. Here are six readathons happening throughout 2023 to help you tackle your toppling TBR piles and stretch your reading goals to branch you out of your comfort zones....

January 8, 2023 · 4 min · 770 words · Mary Davidson

6 Ya Latinx Authors To Read During Hispanic Heritage Month

During this time, Americans celebrate “the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.” A great way to participate annually is to read Latinx authors that are writing inclusive, young adult books. The publishing industry needs to tell diverse stories, and the following six authors are doing just that. But remember that this is just an introduction, there are more great Latinx authors to read....

January 8, 2023 · 3 min · 537 words · Alaine Longhurst

7 Of The Best Fiction And Nonfiction Books About Journalists

Brussels, 1943. Street orphan Helene survives by selling copies of the country’s most popular newspaper, Le Soir, now turned into Nazi propaganda. Helene’s world changes when she befriends journalist, Marc Aubrion, who draws her into a secret network that publishes dissident underground newspapers. The Nazis track down Aubrion’s team and give them an impossible choice: turn the resistance newspapers into Nazi propaganda that will sway public opinion against the Allies, or be killed....

January 8, 2023 · 5 min · 854 words · Frank Bayard

7 Of The Best Middle Grade Audiobooks

Book Riot is teaming up with Nightfire to give away one $250 gift card to the famous Powell’s Books! Here’s a little more about Nightfire: A new horror imprint from Tor & Macmillan that publish fiction that unsettles and delights, exploring the full range of horror, dark fantasy, and the supernatural.

January 8, 2023 · 1 min · 51 words · Vickie Mccoard

8 Affrilachian Poetry Collections That Need To Be On Your Tbr

When Frank X Walker noticed that Nikki Finney was the only Black writer asked to read at an Appalachian writers’ conference, he looked up the definition of Appalachian in the dictionary, which defined Appalachian as white people native to the region. From there, Walker coined the term “Affrilachian” to represent the unique experience of African Americans in Appalachia. He also co-founded the Affrilachian Poets collective, which is still producing some of the region’s best poetry....

January 8, 2023 · 1 min · 211 words · Rosalinda Mack

8 Exhilarating Novels About Real People

1910, Mexico. As the country’s revolution spreads, Dolores, the daughter of a wealthy banker, must flee her comfortable life in Durango or risk death. Her family settles in Mexico City, where, at sixteen, she marries the worldly Jaime del Río. But in a twist of fate, at a party she meets an influential American director who recognizes in her a natural performer. He invites her to Hollywood, and practically overnight, the famous Miss del Río is born....

January 8, 2023 · 2 min · 263 words · Mary Hanson

8 Family Drama Filled Books To Help You Avoid Socializing At Holidays

From families covering up an accidental murder to families keeping terrible secrets to chaotic families trying to run an entire (super old) crumbling estate, these eight books focused on family drama (whether funny or serious or mob-boss-style) will help whisk you away from the current drama at hand, be it fighting family members or confused pets who can’t figure out where they are. And who knows, when you’re done, maybe you can pass the book off to another family member and have a great chat about what you would do if your family was in this situation....

January 8, 2023 · 1 min · 164 words · Leonard Pitcher

8 Fantastical Audiobooks For Your Tbr

For even more, check out some of the best fantasy series in audiobook format and these fantasy lesbian audiobooks.

January 8, 2023 · 1 min · 19 words · Lee Davis

8 Of The Best Hamlet Movie Adaptations Ranked

Even starring as Hamlet is an iconic role for actors of any age and gender. Legendary, 19th century French actor Sarah Bernhardt played him onstage in 1899 and in 1900 on film. Hamlet as a character is supposedly about 30 years old, even though many people in their teens and early 20s relate to him or play him as younger. This could be because Hamlet recently studied at a university, is famously unsure of what to do, or because many people first read Hamlet in high school or college....

January 8, 2023 · 2 min · 226 words · Catherine Lewis

8 Of The Best Science Fiction Books About Robots

My point is books about robots are a fascinating well of ideas. Not only are robots a fairly fundamental part of science fiction, they can also be used to explore so much about humanity and the human condition. And on top of that, they’re just plain fun. R2D2 and C-3PO taught me that. These eight books feature robots as sarcastic as any protocol droid and as powerful as you can imagine....

January 8, 2023 · 1 min · 163 words · Kenneth Fox

8 Of The Best Women Comics Artists With Monstrous Talent

When I first started reading comics, the thing I was most excited about was the stunning way panels could bring to life the wild, the strange, the terrible, and the weird that is so prevalent through comic book storytelling. In the hands of a great illustrator, there is beauty in the bizarre, and yes, even the monstrous. It’s a remarkable and unique demand on the imagination to create artwork that is so strange and unique....

January 8, 2023 · 4 min · 837 words · John Estrello

8 Uplifting And Feel Good Speculative Ya Books

From time travel in a bid to save a loved one to receiving the power to see the future outcome of romantic relationships to a science fiction retelling of a classic fairytale, these stories about teens are sure to brighten up your day. Read on for my list of eight uplifting and feel-good YA books. Crack one open the next time you need an escape! Feel-Good Speculative YA Hopefully the next time you are feeling blue, or just need a good book, one of these feel-good speculative YA titles will be there for you....

January 8, 2023 · 1 min · 132 words · Stanley Link

8 Witchy Books Full Of Trans Nonbinary Magic

These books are either about trans and nonbinary witches, written by trans and nonbinary authors, or both. I’ve defined witches and witchery broadly. Witches take all kinds of forms and have long histories, mythologies, and traditions in cultures all over the world. Some of the characters in these books are witches, some are brujos, and some are other kinds of magic-users who identify as witches. A lot of these books put witch magic front and center, but in some cases a character’s witchcraft is just a minor part of the story....

January 8, 2023 · 1 min · 171 words · Inga Haynes

9 Books About Mindfulness For Kids

For the last few months, I have noticed a mindfulness mini-theme while unpacking boxes of new books at the library. They don’t get complicated about it, instead focusing on inspiring kids to think about what they love, and what makes them happy. (You know, à la The Sound of Music’s “My Favorite Things.”) Actually, reading these books actually inspired me to check in with myself about what little things cheer me up and inspire me — you know, like short, vividly illustrated self-help books....

January 8, 2023 · 1 min · 168 words · Roger Wright

9 Middle Grade Books Set Around The World

TBR is Book Riot’s subscription service offering Tailored Book Recommendations for readers of all stripes. Been dreaming of a “Stitch Fix for books?” Now it’s here! Tell TBR about your reading preferences and what you’re looking for, and sit back while your Bibliologist handpicks recommendations just for you. TBR offers plans to receive hardcover books in the mail or recommendations by email, so there’s an option for every budget. Visit mytbr....

January 8, 2023 · 5 min · 906 words · Robert Masters

9 Mysteries With Environment And Conservation Themes

From the author of the beloved national bestseller Migrations, a pulse-pounding new novel set in the wild Scottish Highlands. “So damn good. A page-turner that makes you think and has a huge emotional impact.” -Jeff VanderMeer, New York Times bestselling author of Annihilation (via Twitter) Given concerns over the environment and climate change over the past several decades, some authors have elected to make environmental and conservation issues central to or a part of their murder mysteries....

January 8, 2023 · 2 min · 220 words · Angel Vandiford

9 Of The Best New Children S Books Out November 2022

November and December tend to be slower publishing months, but I still read plenty of excellent November children’s book releases. As I was compiling this list, two themes stood out: joy and community. Several of my November picture book picks are laugh-out-loud funny and center themes of finding joy in self, family, community, and nature. Though my selections for November’s middle grade releases range in genre and tone, these books share a similar theme of kids embracing their passions and finding ways to participate in their communities by doing what they love, regardless of family pressures or expectations....

January 8, 2023 · 1 min · 145 words · Stacey Lee

A Brief Guide To Ecofiction By Bipoc Authors

From the author of the beloved national bestseller Migrations, a pulse-pounding new novel set in the wild Scottish Highlands. “So damn good. A page-turner that makes you think and has a huge emotional impact.” -Jeff VanderMeer, New York Times bestselling author of Annihilation (via Twitter) More specifically, this sub-genre includes works of fiction that generally address the following:• Human impacts on the environment• Human responsibility to the environment• Human interests playing second fiddle to environmental interests The stories themselves are set in fictional landscapes that mimic the real world....

January 8, 2023 · 2 min · 368 words · Grace Holden

A Family Affair Crime Novels About Family

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker is an extraordinary novel about two kinds of families: the ones we are born into and the ones we create. With unforgettable characters and a mystery at its heart, We Begin at the End follows one man’s return to his small hometown after 30 years in prison and the trouble that follows. B.A. Paris raves it’s “Incredible with characters so brilliantly drawn they jump off the page....

January 8, 2023 · 1 min · 191 words · Margie Stone

A History Of The Cinderella Fairytale

The short answer is that we will probably never know. Like other folktales, Cinderella was most likely passed down orally for generations before somebody committed it to paper. But who was that someone? The Grimm brothers? Charles Perrault? Somebody else? The first thing to keep in mind is that there are versions of this story coming from several different cultures, all hailing back centuries. Because the main themes of the story are so universal, it’s hard to see sometimes whether a similar tale is a coincidence or a root....

January 8, 2023 · 4 min · 642 words · Janet Bannister