Books

The much-awaited series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is premiering today at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET on Amazon Prime with two episodes. Fans of Tolkien’s Middle-earth—or curious newcomers—can sign up for a free 30 day Prime trial to watch the new series. The Rings of Power takes place

The legal comedy She-Hulk: Attorney At Law is officially adding Megan Thee Stallion to their long list of cameo and guest appearances. The role comes after her guest appearance on the show P-Valley. In She-Hulk, Megan Thee Stallion will be represented in a legal case by attorney Augustus Pugliese, who is being played by Josh

A new Missouri law has made it a misdemeanor for a school employee to provide “explicit sexual material” to minors, which could come with up to a year in jail and $2000 in fines. The law applies to images only, such as in graphic novels, and does not apply to material with “serious artistic significance,”

The story is performed in the Inverted Theater, which exists outside of time and can only be visited while one is dreaming. An unnamed spectator sits in the audience and is told that this story is a love story. It is summer, as it always is in the Old Country, and one fateful night, the

In case you missed it, at the halfway point of the year, Goodreads made lists of the overall best books of the year so far as well as the most popular books in several genres, including historical fiction. These books were selected because of positive early reviews from Goodreads users as well as the number

One of the things I love the most about Star Wars is that there are so many stories in the galaxy. There are so many characters, so many stories, and such a rich history available that the possibilities are endless (I’m of the opinion that you can never have too many SW books, shows, or

There is not a wrong time to read some great witchy YA books. That said, there is something particularly good about reading new witchy YA books as the seasons begin to shift toward shorter days and nights. Lighting a candle and cracking open the windows to dig into a story about people who have magic

As the new school year kicks off — or is already in progress in many places — it’s worth taking a look at the states which have enacted laws that ban books. This guide is not comprehensive, but gives an overview of the legislation currently on the books that will impact how teachers and librarians

For the third year in a row, USDish.com is looking for a fan to watch 13 movies based on Stephen King novels. If selected, the fan will receive $1,300, a swag bag with a $350 value—which includes a FitBit—and tickets for the 2023 premier of Salem’s Lot. The only thing USDish.com asks in return is

Eastern Kentucky schools and libraries are still reeling from the effects of flash flooding that started on July 26. The flooding has not only killed 37 people, it’s also put already socioeconomically vulnerable areas at greater risk. The Letcher County school district superintendent shared one particularly devastating video of a school’s library that shows books

On August 22nd, the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (GCISD) voted on a lengthy set of guidelines that included prohibitions against so-called “Critical Race Theory” in schools as well as chosen pronouns and promotion of “Gender Fluidity.” It’s been dubbed the “Don’t Say Trans” policy by some opponents. BREAKING: the Grapevine-Colleyville school district board (GCISD), my

Comics censorship is an American pastime. While censorship has been raging for the last 15 months, book and comic censorship is nothing new. It’s just found new legs with the help of right-wing, white Christian nationalism led by groups like Moms For Liberty, among others. Comics, which have been long-subject to censorship in America, beginning

There’s been a small explosion of trans and nonbinary witch books recently, especially in YA, and it makes sense to me, because there is something inherently magical about queer, trans, and nonbinary lives. Yes, a lot of trans and nonbinary people have to deal with a lot of awful stuff — but all of that

What makes a story a slasher? While there’s not one all-encompassing definition, there are a few characteristics you’ll likely see if you were to put one on TV or pick up one of the best slasher books. Slashers tend to have a masked or hidden killer with a high body count. There are usually bloody

Every once in a while, something will immediately take me back to school: the smell of industrial cleaners in a warm room (no air conditioners for us!), or frost on freshly cut grass (those early PE mornings!), or standing at the doorway of a room full of strangers (relive those lunch periods!). It’s an odd

We are blessed with a world full of beautiful bookstores (if we have nothing else, at least we have that). Books are so loved and revered that we house them in stunning feats of architecture and among the most unique settings. Independent bookstores, in particular, have a range and a longevity that most franchised bookstores

Mysteries around food beautifully blend two of my favorite things in the world: food and suspense! Food is not just something that helps us live, it’s also something we turn to to cope with myriad emotions. Sometimes we eat our feelings in cupcakes, sometimes we celebrate our wins with pizza. This sub-genre of mystery novels

Florida’s election tomorrow, August 23, 2022, is a crucial one for schools across the state. Every school board has at least one seat on the ballot, and several counties also have additional school-related referendums up for vote. This election determines whether school board members will be outright elected–anyone earning over 50% of the vote will

Fantasy and paranormal romance are booming, the rom-com revival shows no signs of stopping and a new wave of angsty love stories is about to hit. This autumn will boast an absolute bounty of love stories.  Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoyDell | August 23 And lo, the “Bridgerton”-inspired romance novels have arrived. J.J.

Some of our most beloved, stalwart series return and a handful of promising sleuths make their debuts in the mysteries and thrillers we’re most excited to read this autumn. Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna RaybournBerkley | September 6 The author of the Veronica Speedwell series, which are easily some of the best historical

Fantasy romance has gone fully mainstream, some of the brightest new voices are taking surprising new directions and vampires might be back? This fall’s science fiction and fantasy offerings are practically too good to be true. Babel by R.F. KuangHarper Voyager | August 23 R.F. Kuang’s standalone historical fantasy novel might be her most ambitious

Inspired by true events, The Half Life of Valery K takes readers to 1963 Soviet Russia, where a secret project threatens nuclear disaster. Scientist Valery Kolkhanov has spent years in a Siberian gulag focused only on his own day-to-day survival. When he is summoned for a special assignment, he assumes it will be his execution,

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Thirty writers consider the myriad ways a human body can exist in the world in Body Language: Writers on Identity, Physicality, and Making Space for Ourselves. The thoughtful essays in this anthology, brought together by Catapult editors Nicole Chung and Matt Ortile, touch on everything from death, eating disorders and racism to sex and taking

On Tuesday, Macmillan Audio released audiobook recordings of three key Supreme Court abortion rulings. The idea for the audiobook, titled Dobbs v. Jackson: Recordings of the Supreme Court’s Decisions and Dissents in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, Roe v. Wade, and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, came as a result of the May 2nd Politico Dobbs draft opinion leak.

Few words related to identity convey a more precise meaning than the ones Bolu Babalola uses to describe her identity: “I’m a Nigerian child, eldest daughter.” If you’re familiar with immigrant parents, you know the drill: Education is the key to securing your future, with a reliable profession (doctor, lawyer, engineer) followed by a judicious

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Definitions differ, but many people eventually discover the value in approaching life’s challenges with at least a modicum of grace. Grace and its manifestations are at the heart of The Poet’s House, Jean Thompson’s charming novel about a young California woman with a learning disability who figures out her place in life with the help

While Goodreads put out a list of the 72 Hit Books of the Year (So Far) divided by genre, they’re also putting out separate mid-year lists, including most popular debuts, most popular horror books, and top nonfiction of 2022 so far. It also has announced the most popular historical fiction of the year so far,