Books about the world’s mysteries seem to be having a moment. Maybe it’s because this year has been one giant kick in the teeth, so the thought of running off to caves hidden along a shoreline or setting out to the world’s most isolated place is especially appealing. Maybe it’s because, paradoxically, as technology makes knowing where you are geographically simpler, it makes knowing existentially where you are that much harder....
Hygge (pronounced HUE-gah) is a Scandinavian concept without a direct English translation. Cozy is as close as possible to its meaning, and the purpose is in finding pleasure in the presence of gentle and soothing things. Scandinavian winters are no joke, and while hygge is a practice that works all year long, it’s especially useful during the months where it’s easy to forget the power of small pleasures. Where winter is so much about turning inward, so, too, can be the power within hygge....
“Apeirogon is nothing like any book you’ve ever read. Think of reading David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, Anne Carson’s Autobiography of Red, or George Saunders’s Lincoln in the Bardo for the first time. Think of discovering an entirely unprecedented, and profoundly true, narrative form. Think about feeling that the very idea of the novel, of what it can be and what it’s capable of containing, has been expanded, forever.” —Michael Cunningham, New York Times bestselling author of The Snow Queen We’re giving away 5 copies of Apeirogon by Colum McCann to 5 Riot readers!...
Created by Book Riot, this smartly designed reading log consists of entry pages to record stats, impressions, and reviews of each book you read. Evenly interspersed among these entry pages are 12 challenges inspired by Book Riot’s annual Read Harder initiative, which began in 2015 to encourage readers to pick up passed-over books, try out new genres, and choose titles from a wider range of voices and perspectives. Indulge your inner book nerd and read a book about books, get a new perspective on current events by reading a book written by an immigrant, find a hidden gem by reading a book published by an independent press, and so much more....
I spent the majority of my time at the house but honestly, New Orleans is only 30-ish miles away and I have an affinity for that city I simply can’t explain, so I gave myself a day in the Crescent City (it’s all research. Ann Leckie said so). One of my stops was The Bottom of the Cup Tea Room which, at 90, is the oldest continuously operating psychic institution in the United States....
Drawn to Berlin: Comic Workshops in Refugee Shelters and Other Stories from a New Europe by Ali Fitzgerald I just started reading this and it is so good. In Fitzgerald’s graphic memoir, she’s in Berlin and teaching art to displaced people from various countries. She encourages them to start drawing and writing about their homes and journeys. Given the current political climate, this feels like an important book. Blame This on the Boogie by Rina Ayuyang I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did, to be honest....
I really love the Netflix crime show Dead To Me, starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini; without giving any spoilers, the second season really feels like it dropped at a time when many viewers themselves are dealing with grief (related to “a collective loss of normalcy” caused by the pandemic). There is something to be said for, at the very least, acknowledging grief, which is a strong theme in the dark comedy Dead To Me and why I took the major themes of the show (grief, found family, secrets) and found great crime books also exploring those things....
I am a wimp! I have accepted that about myself. I’m not great with super-gory mysteries or super-tense thrillers, so I tend to read a lot of graphic novels with Halloween-related imagery and magical creatures running around. Not only is autumn the season of renewal, the falling leaves and breezy coolness add a sense of mystery and possibility to the air. Even though I’m not cool enough to watch all the gory slashers, the neighborhood I grew up in always went all in on Halloween....
“Hello Sunshine always intended for the Librarian-in-Residence to be a paid position. The claim that there would be no ‘financial or material exchange’ for performing work for our company is entirely incorrect and based on false assumptions. We are excited about all the incredible applications we are receiving and look forward to welcoming the new Librarian-in-Residence to the Hello Sunshine team soon.” The editors note that at the time the below article was posted, there was no mention of compensation anywhere in the announcement, save for item #17 in the Terms and Conditions, which require entrants to acknowledge: “Under no circumstances shall the submission of a Video into the Contest, the awarding of a prize or anything in these Rules be construed as an offer or contract of employment with either Hello Sunshine, or the Contest Entities....
When I think about historical fiction and historical fantasy, I usually think of them as entirely separate genres. But really historical fantasy is a subgenre of both fantasy and historical fiction. It’s a perfectly valid and a fun confluence of genres! Lately, I’ve been exploring historical fiction that fits in with the themes of witches and horror and magic, because historical fiction is so much more than just books on WWII....
And it’s another great summer for books by women in translation. Exciting debuts, literary thrillers, powerful social novels, and so much more. And whether it’s just something about publishing this summer or the books I’ve been drawn to recently, but there are a lot of new short story collections. So if you’d like to dip in and out of some incredible short fiction — or for the nonfiction fans, a stunning collection of essays — in these last days of summer, you’re in luck....
In My Year Of Rest And Relaxation, Ottessa Moshfegh’s unnamed protagonist is the dystopian rendition of Sleeping Beauty. She is a twentysomething art history graduate living the conventionally coveted life. She has an inheritance that pays for her lifestyle and the social capital that comes with being pretty. Despite having it all, her existential crisis has her in a chokehold. She is yet to process the death of her parents, with whom she hasn’t had the most ideal relationship....
He was trying to make the point that, as Elizabeth Bennett had just concluded, to be mistress of Pemberley (and all of its books) might be something. My professor had had students further in the school’s more genteel past who had extensive family libraries, but times had changed. Almost no one has an ancestral home with a library, but who among us hasn’t imagined that library from Beauty and the Beast in our own home?...
So how much do romance writers earn? The earnings of famous authors — like E L James, who made $95 million in one year alone during the height of Fifty Shades of Grey’s popularity, and Danielle Steel, whose net worth is estimated at $390 million in 2021 — make for eye-popping headlines. But the average writer? Like writers of any genre: it depends. How Much Can You Make Writing Romance?...
If you’ve never seen a zine, you’re about to: in this post I’m going to make one step by step, and you can follow along. It’s not tricky, it doesn’t need to be precise, and best of all, you can fill the pages in however you’d like. Want to write a zine about your Sylvanian Families collection? Go for it (and find me online to show me it because I love those tiny toys)....
Another thing to consider is that even if you have a kid in your life who isn’t questioning or transitioning, finding good books on gender for them is still imperative. Even cis children need to be able to interact with gender, so finding good books on gender for them is a great idea. Below are a few questions you can ask yourself to ensure that the books are the best they possibly can be!...
Read What You Know This might sound like a bit of a confusing statement, but the best way to read diversely is to keep reading what you know. That doesn’t mean keep reading the exact same authors and books you’ve always been reading, but it means reading the books that you genuinely enjoy reading. If you’re a fan of fantasy, but you decide diversifying your reading means contemporary novels by marginalised authors…you’re probably not going to enjoy that....
Love to read? Love great deals? Early Bird Books brings you free and bargain eBooks that match your interests. You can sign up for free, read the books on any device, and the books are yours to keep. Sign up to our eBook deals newsletter and start getting great deals on bestselling titles today! Learn more at earlybirdbooks.com. I was recently interviewed by the great Amy Hermon for the School Librarians United podcast and she asked why I decided to help students fight this problem....
“She even insisted on reading books or manuscripts when he had guests,” the report continues. My husband isn’t planning to leave me because of my reading habits. I like to think my bookish nature is part of why he likes me in the first place. But I do read when we have guests, sometimes. Or while we watch movies, or play board games, or ride the train. Once I even read at a wedding (before the ceremony started, I’m not a total monster)....
Now, when you add Black culture to speculative fiction, you create a new genre of endless possibilities that only Black writers can create. Using fantasy and science fiction elements to introduce ancestral powers that still feel instinctive culturally is a feat within itself. While it is no secret that some Black people aren’t as welcoming to different elements and possibilities of Black spirituality, writers continue to find ways to pair the old with the new....
