We write about books every dang day. And here’s what we came up with today:
That’s also the magic I’ve tried to capture in finding more books like Funny Story. They will share a trope or two, but the thoughtful character development is what’s really going to get you. While Emily Henry’s books may be a cut above in terms of sales and popularity, I promise she’s got some competitors in the storytelling.
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the film release of The Neverending Story, Jeff, Rebecca, and Sharifah talk about the book, movie, and its place in pop and nerd culture.
Book sales in the first half of 2024 are down .5% from the previous year, led by strong sales in adult and young adult fiction, according to new data from Circana. Adult fiction sales increased by 5.6 million units, an increase over the previous year. Fantasy and thriller book sales led the category, with “romantasy” books helping drive adult fiction sales. Manga, on the other hand, grew the least in the adult fiction realm year over year.
Now, it would be easy to just name off some great new science fiction and fantasy books that also have been recorded as audiobooks. But that would ignore how much of a difference a great narrator or narrators can make to an audiobook. No matter how great the text, a bad narrator can ruin the audiobook experience. A great narrator, on the other hand, can elevate the text beyond what the author had even imagined.
Luckily, I am not a bit shy about sharing my findings. I’ve taken the time to gather some of the best back-to-school bookish goods from around the internet. Custom shirts, annotation supplies, and shiny new pencils are just the beginning of what I’ve gathered. Whether you are shopping for a kiddo entering elementary school for the first time, a high schooler leaning into their bookish era, or a teacher approaching their 39th first day of school, there is something on this list for everyone.
If you’re wondering these things, for starters, the term “yaoi” first appeared in the ’80s when fans began to write amateur, fan-made comics where they paired up male characters from popular anime. The acronym comes from “yama nashi ochi nashi imi nashi,” which translates to “no climax, no ending, no meaning.” This meant stories that were solely focused on sexual encounters instead of actual plot or character development.