Books

Readers don’t ask for much: an infinite budget for books, a TBR longer than we can finish in a lifetime, pretty bookshelves filled to the brim, a nice comfortable chair, and a good beverage by our side. And, of course, more free time to read. Okay, so maybe that is asking for a bit much.

You might be a sci-fi connoisseur, but can you identify science fiction books from the descriptions of people who truly hated them? See if you can guess the sci-fi book based on its 1-star reviews below! Bad reviews can be a bit of a sticking point for authors, and understandably so. No one likes to

The New York Times has a history of opining on the side of the oppressor. This is not my opinion, nor is it based on feelings, but is a fact. In 1922, they published their first article about Adolph Hitler, in which they fawned over his “uncanny control over audiences” and claimed that his antisemitism

Sydney, as a city, LOVES to party – especially during Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. This year, the party is even bigger as Sydney hosts WorldPride 2023. I honestly don’t know how the city is going to contain itself. Official celebrations began on 17 February, with theatre performances, storytelling sessions, art workshops, and photographic

Ah, young love. These Black YA romances will give you hope for the future or, at the very least, make you feel warm and fuzzy for a while. There’s something undeniably sweet about the possibilities of first love. I have a strange history with romance. As a child, I read so voraciously that even weekly

Recently when I went on a furious reading marathon of enemies to lovers, I found myself picking up on even more specific tropes that I love, namely friends to enemies to lovers books. Other themes also started emerging. Subtropes, as more niche tropes are called, can be combinations of the tried and true tropes. The

On April 19, 1993, dozens of people, including many children, died in an FBI and ATF siege in Waco, Texas. I was just about to turn 4 when the Waco siege ended, so it’s safe to say that I was not following the news. When I was growing up, “Waco” seemed to be used as

One very easy way to learn about and discover new books and authors is through the cover reveal. This was not a possible avenue of discovery before the age of book talk on the internet, and in an era where visuals are becoming more and more important — and indeed, book cover designers are taking

The highly successful Netflix show Bridgerton is based off theromance novel series of the same name, but now the show is inspiring a new novel in the series! Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is a spin-off series that will air on Netflix May 4, 2023. To coincide with the new show, Shonda Rhimes — the

Something that needs to be understood about the reality of book bans right now is this: teaching other people about what is truly going on — beyond the singular headlines — is crucial, and it’s going to mean you need to get uncomfortable. Whether you’re a book lover or parent who is sharing stories or

The HarperCollins Union, which represents 250 employees, just announced that they’ve voted to ratify the contract negotiated with publishing giant HarperCollins and will return to work on February 21. This comes about a week after a tentative agreement was announced, and a strike that has lasted since November 10, 2022. The agreement includes an increase

“Deeper meaning resides in the fairytales told to me in my childhood than in any truth that is taught in life,” reads a quote by Friedrich Schiller that I have pinned to a bulletin board in my office. It puts into words a sentiment and a feeling that I started to feel more and more

Bill Watterson, the creator of the iconic comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, will release a book titled The Mysteries, illustrated by John Kascht. This new book comes 28 years after Patterson retired from Calvin and Hobbes, a comic strip whose collected works have sold more than 30 million copies. But fans looking for another go

by Julia Bartz “Question: How do we all feel about the publishing industry?” Roza asked.  “It sucks!” Taylor called through cupped palms.  “It does suck.” Roza took the joint from Wren, who I was almost certain had taken a faux puff like me. “I got lucky, I published in the  seventies. They were open to radical stuff

In November, Penguin Random House’s acquisition of Simon & Schuster was blocked by a federal court ruling. PRH decided not to appeal the decision. Since then, the fate of the publisher has been up in the air, especially since Paramount Global, its parent company, has stated it “does not fit strategically within Paramount’s broader portfolio”

The state of hibernation is meant to protect against the harsh weather conditions of winter and low food sources. Unlike the animal kingdom, people tend to try and get everything done in winter. New Year, NEW ME. It’s a ploy to make us spend money on expensive coffee and run ourselves ragged. It’s okay to

Black History Month always draws me to my poetry shelf, to the brilliant collections of poems written by Black poets throughout history. From ancient African poems to the work songs of enslaved people to the flood of amazing poetry during the Harlem Renaissance to right now, there’s just so much to read and celebrate. Tyehimba

Recently, we published a book trend forecast for 2023 from a BookToker* who told us what we should be anticipating and acting on in the publishing world in order to capture the fleeting attention of book consumers. But, are “trends” what the book world really needs? Do you remember the moment, probably sometime around your

As I write this, January is drawing to a close. I cannot believe that we are already one month into 2023. But whether I like it or not, time happens, and once again, the season of love is upon us. Though I never really celebrated Valentine’s Day in any significant way, irrespective of whether I