Posts

Libraries evoke a lot of emotions in the minds of readers. You can think of Hermione pouring over books trying to find solutions to the most fantastical of problems. Or you can think of the Library Planet in Doctor Who, haunted but holding all of humanity’s knowledge. Maybe you can recall all the wonderful discoveries you made in your own local branch. I don’t think anyone would argue against libraries publicly, even though there is always the exception to the rule....

Book Riot is teaming up with Macmillan eDeals to giveaway one Kindle Paperwhite. Enter the form and sign-up for the Macmillan eDeals newsletter for a chance to win! Here’s a little more about the Macmillan eDeals newsletter: Be the first to hear about our down-priced eBooks across a variety of genres from your favorite authors, starting at $2.99! Want more 3 on a YA Theme? We’ve got you covered!

A.A. Milne’s beloved books chronicling the adventures of Christopher Robin and his stuffed friends have become a staple in every child’s bookshelf, but the lessons the residents of the Hundred Acre Wood learn are evergreen. So grab your stuffie of choice (mine’s name is Marshmallow) and a pot of “Hunny” and settle in for some life lessons from everyone’s favorite Bear of Very Little Brain. (Which, by the way, rude....

The Pandava Series by Roshani Chokshi I haven’t seen my extreme extrovert so excited about anything since this garbage reality began as she was when I handed her our copy of Aru Shah and The Tree of Wishes earlier this week, the third (of five) books in the Pandava series that launched the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. My family has followed Aru though her journey from school fibber to daughter of Ravana, from girl in Spider-Man pajamas to Pandava....

Contestants must complete a number of tasks, from writing original lyrics to rap battles to making music videos to teaming up with R&B artists to perform on their songs, with very little turnaround time. They not only have to write and memorize new lyrics, they have to perform them in front of crowds and the judges. Often, guest judges like Snoop Dogg, Fat Joe, Big Boi, and Lupe Fiasco would offer their expertise and advice to contestants as well....

That’s right! More women’s history books! Because I can! And because it’s the very end of Women’s History Month, which TBH is more of a year-round thing for me, but I love a themed month/week/day/party. So we’re going to take this opportunity to examine some women’s history books. Which is truly one of the broadest topics imaginable since it’s half the population of the globe, and yet NOT a field of study until the last like 50 years....

When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullers and asha bendele, Narrated by Patrisse Khan-Cullers In When They Call You a Terrorist, Patrisse Khan-Cullers, with asha bendele, examines why political protest is an important tool to rectify injustice and shares her insights on life, love, and what drove her to co-found the Black Lives Matter movement. With the narration performed by the author, there’s an extra layer of emotion and openness added to the story, lending the memoir an extra touch of personal insight into Khan-Cullers’ story....

Nobody needs to see that. The book is a memoir from a man who lost his 2-year-old daughter to the most pointless and random accident—and that’s only the beginning. If you can inch your way past this horrific tragedy, you eventually make your way into a gorgeously written account of not only grief and loss, but also hope and healing. But it’s a tough road to get there. As the mother of a 4-year-old, this book feels especially heartbreaking....

A Soft Murmur A Soft Murmur has 10 different options of free sounds that seem to be common in sound mixers (rain, crackling fire, coffee house chatter) but also a singing bowl, which I’m not sure I’ve seen available elsewhere. You have the power to adjust the volume of each of the sounds (if you want it playing at all). A timer, mix-saving option, and share option are all available....

Below you’ll find five recent nonfiction books that I loved. Each one has something new and vital to say, whether it’s about immigration, race, gender, sexuality, art, disability, or literature. Each one has a personal story to tell, and each one looks out at the world with its own set of questions and preoccupations. I found these books challenging in the best way: they made me see myself and the world a little bit differently....

Enter for a chance to win one of 250 available early audio downloads of MY DARK VANESSA, an extraordinary debut performed by Grace Gummer. “Brilliant and stunning . . . an absolute must read.” – Gillian Flynn. My Dark Vanessa explores the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher. Written with the haunting intimacy of The Girls and the creeping intensity of Room, My Dark Vanessa is an era-defining novel that brilliantly captures and reflects the shifting cultural mores transforming our relationships and society itself....

If that’s not enough for you, you can also check out 50 books about medicine. This has some great titles, including The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which is another must-read if you enjoy engrossing nonfiction. Bartolo sucks the reader into his world with vivid memories and the shocking details of the kind of medical need that has now become the day-to-day of his professional life. This book is a must-read for anyone willing to learn about the people making the harrowing journey from their home countries (often but not always in Southern Africa) to Europe....

*Difficult family issues are at the center of many Southern plays. Some of these plays deal with topics that may be triggering to some readers. ‘Night, Mother by Marsha Norman Thelma, widowed and aging, lives with her depressed middle-aged daughter Jessie. Years of struggling with epilepsy, unemployment, and a difficult family have left Jessie worn thin. Jessie asks Thelma for her father’s old revolver, announcing that she plans to kill herself that night....

I would go on to cycle through many roles at that store: downstairs shelver, upstairs cashier, kids’ section shelver. Then I was the head shipper, dealing with online orders in that cave location, listening to audiobooks while packing orders. Eventually, I ascended into the role I loved the most: children’s book expert. Manager of the kids’ section. I priced, shelved, and recommended books. I valued antique picture books. I invented strategies to squirrel away thousands of books we had no space for....

Fiction Books to Read This Summer City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert In City of Girls, an old woman looks back on her adventures at the Lily Playhouse, a “crumbling midtown theater” where she was introduced to a cast of unconventional characters and enticing pleasures in her youth. My Life as a Rat by Joyce Carol Oates In Oates’s latest novel, a young woman recalls a life estranged from her family after she testified, at age 12, that her older brothers murdered an African American boy in a racially motivated attack....

Art & Crafts Books How to Draw Cool Stuff: A Drawing Guide for Teachers and Students by Catherine Holmes “Shows simple step-by-step illustrations that make it easy for anyone to draw cool stuff with precision and confidence. These pages will guide you through the basic principles of illustration by concentrating on easy-to-learn shapes that build into complex drawings.” Basic Pottery Making by Linda Franz “Step-by-step instructions complete with color photographs. Includes a chapter on bisque firing, waxing, and glazing....

Book descriptions come from Goodreads. Let me know in the comments what your favorite nonfiction audiobooks are. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a comprehensive program based on developing an awareness of how perceptions and assumptions hinder success—in business as well as personal relationships. Here’s an approach that will help broaden your way of thinking and lead to greater opportunities and effective problem solving....

Due to the highly niche nature of this list, I’ve been unable to include a range of books from diverse authors. Published Fan Fiction: The Legends 1. Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades Trilogy #1) by E L James E L James (the pen name of British television executive Erika Leonard) is by far the most well-known example of a fan fiction author who’s made it in the published world....

Here are six of my all-time favorite audiobooks narrated by only one person. I guarantee you’ll be as stunned as I was that these are not full-cast productions. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, read by David Pittu This is one of the first audiobooks I ever listened to, and it remains one of my favorite audiobooks of all time. Beginning with a bombing in an art museum in which 13-year old Theo loses his mother, it winds through the events of Theo’s life, which take him from the art underworld in New York to the lounges of Las Vegas....

Sadly, but not surprisingly when it comes to gardening books, this list lacks diversity. There are absolutely goths of color and gardeners of color, but nobody who fits both of those categories has yet written a book that I could find. That said, the Arboretum Foundation has a list of books by gardeners of color that is not to be missed regardless of what you intend to grow. (And here’s another awesome article about Black goths!...