How And Why To Spring Clean Your Digital Book Clutter

The first time you start tidying up your digital book space, it’ll feel like an endless endeavor. But there is an end in sight. And after you do it once, if you keep up with the organization methods you set up, it’ll stay tidy forever. Organize Your Kindle Cloud Remove Digital Book Clutter from Cloud It’s so easy to remove unwanted books from your reading device, which is handy if you only read on one device, but did you know you can also delete them from the cloud altogether?...

December 23, 2022 · 3 min · 572 words · Ina Davis

How Audiobooks Kept Me Afloat In A Job I Don T Like

Since our jobs take up most of our day, it is wise to find a career that we like, but life and circumstances sometimes turn us against ourselves and, in the end, a job is a way to make ends meet. To be fair, I hardly feel entitled to complain seriously about mine; working as a cleaning lady in a foreign country, I am privileged in many ways: it’s a flexible job, it pays my bills, allowing me to save up and to enjoy the occasional treat, it gives me a chance to improve my Dutch, it offers me tools for life (which I will apply to any jobs I may pursue in the future), and it has allowed me to connect to people and to win their kindness and friendship....

December 23, 2022 · 3 min · 541 words · Faith Sanchez

How Poetry Is Grounding Me When I Feel Hopeless

We’ve all scrolled through “self care” TikTok and therapy Instagram trying to find something. We’re not even looking for answers. Instead we want reassurance, comfort, hope. The endless scroll sucks me in and distracts me, but it doesn’t make me feel like there is solid earth beneath my feet. I feel even more adrift because it is fathomless. When I’m feeling like this, I turn to books, usually romance. But those are hundreds of pages of investment....

December 23, 2022 · 6 min · 1229 words · James Weinberg

How Reading Agatha Christie Helps With My Anxiety

What is Anxiety, Exactly? Let’s start out by making it very clear that there is a big difference between normal (healthy!) anxiety and an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is, according to the American Psychological Association (APA), “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.” An anxiety disorder, this time according to MedicineNet, is “a chronic condition characterized by an excessive and persistent sense of apprehension, with physical symptoms such as sweating, palpitations, and feelings of stress....

December 23, 2022 · 4 min · 721 words · Ray Webb

How To Actually Do Your Own Research

TwiceFar station is at the edge of the known universe, and that’s just how Niko Larson, former Admiral in the Grand Military of the Hive Mind, likes it.Retired and finally free of the continual war of conquest, Niko and the remnants of her former unit are content to spend their days working at the restaurant they built together, The Last Chance.But some wars can’t be escaped. Niko and her crew are forced onto a sentient ship and must survive the machinations of a pirate king if they hope to keep the dream of The Last Chance alive....

December 23, 2022 · 6 min · 1146 words · Bess Tarasuik

How To Be A Book Fairy

What is a book fairy, you ask? Well, according to the book fairies themselves, it is: In more concrete, albeit less charming, terms: a book fairy is a person who leaves books in public places for others to find. Ideally, these books should be read, then released back into the wild. The Book Fairies launched in March 2017, and less than five years later, there are over 9000 fairies in over 100 countries....

December 23, 2022 · 4 min · 689 words · Ashley Stephenson

How To Find A Book By Description With These Tips Tricks Resources

We’ve all been in the position of hoping to find a book by description at some point if we’re readers. Even for someone like me who writes down every book I read and have since high school, there are times I remember a scene or pieces of a book’s story that make me realize I’ve forgotten the title or author and I desperately want to reconnect with the book. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to help you find a book by description....

December 23, 2022 · 11 min · 2216 words · Ludie Garcia

How To Read More And Internet Less When You Have No Self Control

Maybe you have amazing self control and never find yourself in that mess, but just in case, I thought I would share some ways that have worked for me in limiting my internet use and maximizing my reading time. That way, I get the benefits of both. The trick is to make reading easier and more appealing than aimlessly surfing the internet, and breaking that internet zombie state. Here’s how to read more, internet less....

December 23, 2022 · 4 min · 802 words · Susan Catchings

I M Glad I Don T Picture Anything When I Read

This is the classic test for aphantasia or “mind blindness.” For people with aphantasia, this is an impossible task. When they close their eyes, they see nothing. A few years ago, James Wallace Harris wrote about realizing he has aphantasia and how that affected his reading life. Since then, I’ve seen a lot more people discussing this phenomena, and particularly how it relates to reading. I don’t have full aphantasia: I can sometimes picture things — indistinctly, or just for a second before it slips away....

December 23, 2022 · 4 min · 696 words · Timothy Perez

I Was A 90S Teenage Lesbian Books About Lesbians

There’s a long-running joke that, after “coming out,” a lesbian, gay guy, bisexual, or trans person should receive a membership card and instruction manual. THIS IS THAT INSTRUCTION MANUAL. You’re welcome. Inside you’ll find the answers to all the questions you ever wanted to ask: from sex to politics, hooking up to stereotypes, coming out and more. This candid, funny, and uncensored exploration of sexuality and what it’s like to grow up LGBT also includes real stories from people across the gender and sexual spectrums, not to mention hilarious illustrations....

December 23, 2022 · 4 min · 741 words · Viola Groce

If I Were Susan Orlean

Sometimes I fasten onto a factual detail I’ve read somewhere. (Harold Ross had a big crush on Ginger Rogers!) More often, I invent and happily spin a little realm of possibility. For instance, if I were Jhumpa Lahiri, I’d be thoroughly sick of people asking me when I’m going to be writing about something else besides Indian immigrants in America. If I were Joan Didion, I’d have my dark glasses on at all times....

December 23, 2022 · 3 min · 450 words · Robert Casey

Indie Press Round Up May New Releases

Most of us aren’t traveling much during these pandemic times, so reading is one way to explore new places. If you’re looking to do some armchair traveling, you might find something here that appeals. These are also good books if you simply want an enjoyable, engrossing read. Check them out and support some great independent presses along the way! Four By Four by Sara Mesa, Translated by Katie Whittemore (Open Letter, May 5) This novel will appeal to those who like boarding school stories and anyone who enjoys eerie tales with a Gothic atmosphere....

December 23, 2022 · 5 min · 913 words · William Pruett

It S Not Just A Costume What Spider Woman And Batgirl S Last Redesigns Say To Women

I was…less excited when I found out that she was also getting a new costume. See, Spider-Woman’s costume carries a bit more rhetorical weight than most superhero ensembles. From her first appearance in 1971 to 2015, she wore essentially the same one, save for an early alteration to her mask to reveal her long, flowing hair. The costume started out as a pretty standard spandex onesie in her trademark colors of red, yellow, and black....

December 23, 2022 · 5 min · 920 words · Lucy Watson

January 2021 Horoscopes And Book Recommendations

And because it’s the perfect time to set new goals, I’ve included a bookish New Year’s resolution for each sign. You’re welcome! Aries (March 21–April 19) Aries’s Bookish New Year’s Resolution: Focus on enjoying what you’re reading instead of trying to beat your friends’ reading goals. Taurus (April 20–May 20) Taurus’s Bookish New Year’s Resolution: Read outside of your comfort genre. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something you like!...

December 23, 2022 · 2 min · 292 words · Catherine Chabot

June 2021 Horoscopes And Book Recommendations

Be ye warned: Mercury is in retrograde through June 22, so watch out for miscommunications, tech troubles, and travel mishaps. As I always say, the best way to avoid Mercury retrograde chaos is by staying home and reading a book. And with all the fantastic LGBTQ books coming out during pride month, you’ve got plenty to choose from! Aries (March 21–April 19) Taurus (April 20–May 20) Gemini (May 21–June 20) Cancer (June 21–July 22) Leo (July 23–August 22) Virgo (August 23–September 22) Libra (September 23–October 22) Scorpio (October 23–November 21) Sagittarius (November 22–December 21) Capricorn (December 22–January 19) Aquarius (January 20–February 18) Pisces (February 19–March 20) Looking for more?...

December 23, 2022 · 1 min · 120 words · Lincoln Prouty

Latine Sff Books You Definitely Should Read

So, today I want to share with you some of the best Latine SFF books! Two small disclaimers before I jump in. The first is that this list is by no means a complete or definite account. There is a lot more Latine SFF out there! The second small disclaimer is that the first part of this list leans more toward the more strict sci-fi and fantasy side. But I did want to include some books in the end that are more speculative and can toe the line between genres....

December 23, 2022 · 1 min · 132 words · Kimberly Morris

Launching The Arabic Translation Of The Handmaid S Tale

The Sharjah book fair is one of the region’s largest. Now in its 37th year, the fair boasts hundreds of events and attracts more than two million visitors. This year’s fair opened October 31 and ran through November 10. Those who came early ran into handmaids walking around the fair: It’s hard to say how many people are reading the new edition. But certainly a lot of people took photos of the handmaids walking the fair....

December 23, 2022 · 1 min · 146 words · Doris Cesena

Lessons From The High School Library

I met friends who were avid readers and who shared their favorite books with me, I discovered many favorite authors, I joined the school book club, and on my own time I started book blogging. But perhaps my favorite memory of high school comes from my senior year, when I took an elective class that allowed me to be a student aid/assistant in the school library. Let’s set the scene: my high school was going through major construction the summer before my senior year, and a new library was part of the plan....

December 23, 2022 · 5 min · 958 words · Carl Fontana

Level Up Your Reading Become A Literary Magazine Volunteer Reader

I had the great privilege of reading for two literary magazines in the past — The Missouri Review and The Masters Review — and both experiences proved invaluable to me as a reader and writer. It opened up my eyes to the blood, sweat, and tears that editors and readers put into these small but mighty publications. From a writer’s perspective, it also created an added respect for editors. Becoming a literary magazine reader is so important to literary magazines....

December 23, 2022 · 7 min · 1295 words · Carolyn Osborne

Light Novel Vs Manga We Can Have Both

So, What’s the Difference Between Manga and Light Novel? Manga are comics from Japan. That’s it. Cell by cell, reading from right to left in true Japanese style, manga are simply comics. They are usually printed in black and white, with greater detail on characters and dialogue-centric storytelling. Manga comes in lots of different genres, many of which have been called out as “typical manga” but honestly, they are ALL manga....

December 23, 2022 · 4 min · 736 words · Anna Stewart