Books

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

Duval County Public Schools (DCPS), which serve Jacksonville and the surrounding area, is one of the largest districts in the state of Florida. The district serves roughly 130,000 students and employs over 8,000 teachers. It’s also one of the most diverse, with nearly 70% of its students from minority backgrounds and nearly 40% are economically

If you have a library card, you’ve likely heard of the Libby App. Libby is a way to find tons of audio and ebooks from your local library and read them right on your phone. It makes borrowing easy as once your time runs out, the books return automatically so you don’t have to worry

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

Halloween is coming up in a couple of months, which is close enough for me to start getting into the spooky mood. Given, a good horror story is timeless and welcome during any time of the year. For those seeking to get their fill of creepiness, look no further than horror short stories that you

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

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

Last month the internet exploded with people talking about the FX series The Bear, an eight-episode drama streaming on Hulu. If you somehow missed it, the series follows Carmen Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a CIA-trained chef (that’s Culinary Institute, not the other CIA) who leaves his upscale New York restaurant to return home to Chicago

Acclaimed novelist Salman Rushdie was attacked onstage on Friday, August 12, 2022, in Chautauqua, New York. His interviewer was also hurt while trying to subdue the attacker. The planned talk was reportedly about the United States as an asylum for writers and artists in exile. Rushdie suffered at least ten stab wounds to his neck and abdomen

A big part of being a person who edits content for the internet is sifting through a million billion stock photos. You want a featured image that teases the content of the post, one that’s maybe funny or suggestive or just pleasing to look at. Sometimes you find that one pure and perfect photo right

This week, the local-to-me Moms For Liberty contingent lost their bid to get Gender Queer removed from Barrington School District 220. Parents and community members who supported the right to read and queer students and educators in the district showed up to the meeting, and the committee reviewing the book found it to be appropriate

If you’ve been seeing the chatter on Twitter about Barnes & Noble not stocking debut hardcovers, you’re not alone. Writers recently sounded the alarm after hearing from various sources (other writers, B&N reps, former B&N employees, other industry professionals, etc.) that the chain’s stores would only be stocking hardcovers that had proven sales records. When

PEN America has analyzed the state of educational gag orders in the United States as of August 2022 and release a report sharing its findings. Educational gag orders are defined as efforts to legally restrict education on topics like race, American history, gender, and LGBTQ+ identities in K-12 and higher education. PEN America’s report outlines

Keller Independent School District staff were surprised to learn this week that they had a new charge as they prepared for a new school year. Staff received an email on Tuesday morning informing them that every book on the attached spreadsheet needed to be removed by the end of the day for review. “By the

Late one night in 2007, I borrowed my flatmate’s laptop to watch an episode of Friends. Because it was 2007, I was planning to watch it on DVD. I popped open the disk drive, and there, already in the computer, was a DVD of this American show my friends had been telling me I’d like

Women’s bodies have been policed since the beginning of time. Their bodies have been mutilated, terrorized, and objectified to fit the male gaze. Scientific facts are often blurred and dissolve into misconceptions. The way we view women’s bodies merely reflects the truth about them. Contemporary female writers through their works of nonfiction are trying to

Starting on July 26, flash flooding of historical magnitude devastated various counties in the states of Kentucky and Missouri. This has resulted in the death of at least 37 people, as well as the displacement of thousands of others. Other terrible consequences of the flooding include power outage, ruined roads, destroyed homes, and flooded schools.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, George R.R. Martin spoke about the new Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon, but he also commented on how he and his work is discussed online. Martin said he has “given up on any hope of predicting the end” of the Song of Ice and Fire

“This Advisory Notice shall serve to inform you that this book has been identified by some community members as unsuitable for students. This book will also be identified in the Destiny system with the same notation. The decision as to whether this book is suitable or unsuitable shall be the decision of the parent(s) who

Persuasion and Mansfield Park are the two Jane Austen novels I know the least about. I have a faint recollection of having read Sense And Sensibility in my teens — and I forgot all about it — and I have read a couple of adaptations, including those written by Book Riot’s own contributor Tirzah Price:

Michelle Yeoh, who turned 60 last week, is a Malaysian Chinese actress, former Miss Malaysia, martial artist, and so much more — she’s lived a very bookish life and is set to continue on that path. She has recently been in the public eye as the star of Everything Everywhere All At Once, which is

Audiobooks aren’t quite my favorite way of approaching the classics (that honor falls to print books, the older and more worn the better), but they’re a close second. For stories that are more often than not over a hundred years old, sometimes it can be easy to miss the nuance and humor in the old-fashioned

How can you find like-minded people in your community to work with in ending censorship? It can certainly feel overwhelming and, in some instances, impossible, but now is the perfect time to find your allies and work together toward ensuring access to books and information for all. The Florida Freedom to Read Project, helmed by

One of the biggest Barnes & Noble sales of the year has started and is offering 50% off hundreds of books, board games, planners, and more. Among the books offered are fiction, nonfiction, new releases, audiobooks, YA, and kids’ books. Below are some of the most popular titles offered. The prices listed factor in the

Boy, Warner Bros. has had a week, haven’t they? First, they canceled Batgirl, the $90 million movie starring Leslie Grace, their first headlining Latina superhero. This decision, spurred by their merger with Discovery+, appears to be part of a strategy to eliminate mid-budget projects in favor of big budget theatrical blockbusters and cheaper streaming projects.

Who else has eaten half the bag of pretzels before they’ve even finished the first episode of a Netflix night? I have often inhaled snacks without even remembering, let alone enjoying, them. That kind of mindless snacking led me to seek out a different way to approach food: mindful eating. What is mindful eating, you ask?