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An honourable mention goes to the Erin Condren Daily Duo LifePlanner (review available here), which isn’t as adaptable as the others on this list, but nevertheless offers a ton of space and small range of options. This makes it a good choice if you want a planner which isn’t specifically tailored to reading, but contains a little daily space which can still be used for book tracking. While some of these products may have been sent to me for free for review purposes, rest assured that all opinions are (as ever) honest and my own....

Beelingua When I was starting to learn Spanish, this app helped me improve my reading and listening comprehension. It features fairytale classics in two languages—English and your target language. You can read the texts side by side and compare them so you may see how the sentences are constructed. There are also audio versions of the books so that you can listen to the pronunciation of the foreign words. One thing that put me off the most is the lack of available titles that you can read....

But that doesn’t mean you stop trying! Never give up! Never surrender! What are we if not our determination to give our loved ones one perfect day for f*&%’$ sake even if it kills us?! Here are a few the most messed up, hilarious celebrations ever to grace the already unbelievable pages of comics. The New Year Christmas First Date Curb Stomping the Witch Who Cursed You Hey, you celebrate your way, they’ll celebrate theirs....

Inspired by this, I’ve compiled a list of four amazingly fun graphic novels that feature some of your favorite characters as teens and tweens. From Lois Lane dealing with friend drama to the Teen Titans going to camp, these stories will surely inspire and have you, or your younger ones, eager to keep reading. Make sure to make some room in your shelves, for these stories are filled with lessons and pure heart....

The catalog of LGBTQ+ graphic novels and comics continues to grow, even as most of the superheroes we are accustomed to fall into the same stereotype: unlimited powers, superhuman strength, and mostly hetero. I always thought the notion of superhumans being mostly hetero was shortsighted even when I was a kid. Can you imagine godlike beings only attracted to a single sex? See, me either! As a pansexual person, LGBTQ+ narratives oftentimes display the most realistic view of self-discovery even in a fantasy setting....

Apparently, there are how-to books, and then there are how-to books. I mean, what a wonderful place this world is when you can find books that help you in your quest to date a vampire, hypnotize anyone in under a minute, or be the best zombie you can be. You want to do ____? There’s a book for that, people. And in keeping with this helping spirit, I give you five of the most hilarious how-to books....

Compatibility Scores Seeing what my friends and fellow reviewers think of a book is one of my favorite parts about Goodreads. And it turns out the site has the data to go beyond mere book-to- book comparisons. Go to any user’s page and click the small down arrow next to their name, then click “compare books.” The screenshot below shows my friend’s and my overlapping five-star reads. You can sort by rating or by “inverse popularity” if you’re interested in more niche overlaps in what you and your friend added to your read list....

So how common are fiction books about work? Well, that depends partly on how we define “work,” which also says quite a bit about the society we live in. Housework, cleaning, and parenting, especially when women do them, tend to be devalued. So do artistic and creative ventures. So when we see plots that contain writers or jobs related to writing, we may not think twice. When we see books about people who work from home in some way or other, it may not even register that they’re doing work....

Ahead, check out a handful of the best 2021 retellings to pick up this year. 

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Narrated by Ramon de Ocampo Who doesn’t love a good, purely escapist fantasy romance novel? When Alex, the First Son of the United States, causes a scene during a disagreement with Henry, a Prince of England, he finds himself forced into making nice with Henry for the press. But what starts out as a publicity stunt turns into a whirlwind romance between these two enemies to lovers....

Copper Canyon Press With the lively poetry of masters such as Jericho Brown, Jim Harrison, and Chris Abani, Copper Canyon Press publishes unique and beautifully produced poetry collections. It has been around since 1972, but its Instagram is fresh, updated regularly, and fun to read. Far from just boring screenshots, its poetry social media posts are usually paper poetry in the wild, with a picture of the book and something wild in the background....

1) The Videos and Instagram Pictures! Because The Reading Rush started on BookTube, it has the biggest following there. That means that there are so many videos and instagram posts about it! There are TBR videos, vlogs, and wrap-ups to keep you entertained, but there are also video challenges and Instagram challenges throughout. The official Reading Rush channel has a bunch of different hosts to keep the festivities going throughout the week, and the same thing is happening on the Instagram page....

Although there was a great response, Catalyst’s Ashawnta Jackson said: “We’d love an even bigger showing this year, and even more focus on works in translation.” What does it mean to #ReadAfrica? Jackson says: African literature isn’t a genre. It’s fiction, non-fiction, comics, and poetry. It can be a thriller, a mystery, a comedy, a kid’s book, a romance novel. It can be, and is, all of those things, and we wanted to shout about it....

In assembling this list, I noticed a shortage of authors of color, especially in classics (of course) but even into modern times. I don’t think the problem is that the books aren’t being written (they are, I am sure of it) or even necessarily that they aren’t being published (I think some are, though there is definitely room for improvement) but that many are not being categorized as gothics even when they definitely are....

Be My Guest: Reflections on Food, Community and the Meaning of Generosity by Priya Basil (Canongate Books, November 5, 2019) If you love gathering around a food-laden table with friends, this book will be right up your street. Priya Basil writes about the meaning of hospitality today, and the role it has to play in building relationships and community. If you want to know more, have a listen to her guest spot on Radio Four’s Start the Week....

When shelter cats Pasha and Poop move in with their new human family, they find themselves up against a ghostly bully. Scaredy Cat demands they follow his rules or he’ll cause all kinds of trouble-knock over lamps, spill kitty litter, and even get them shipped back to the animal shelter! But Pasha and Poop are stubborn and rebellious. They won’t follow the Scaredy Cat’s ridiculous rules like all of the other pets on the block....

Chief Inspector Brian Leslie, a colleague of Ian Rutledge’s, is sent to Avebury, a village set inside a prehistoric stone circle not far from Stonehenge. A woman has been murdered next to a figure-like stone, but no one recognizes her. Despite a thorough investigation, it appears that her killer has vanished. Rutledge is asked to take a second look at Leslie’s inquiry, to see if he can identify this victim....

A bedtime book in the tradition of Goodnight Moon! This perfect read-aloud describes that magical time, just as we’re drifting off to sleep, when the moon shines brightly and life emerges from the forest. When the sun goes down and most of us are getting ready for bed, the nighttime animals of the forest all wake up to the light of the moon. The gentle rhyming text and soft and dreamy artwork will appeal to young and old readers alike....

And that’s it, really. Because I know next to nothing about wine other than I enjoy it, and that makes me a little frowny sometimes. I’d wager a lot of us wine drinkers feel that way, and are left flummoxed when handed an extensive wine list the size and shape of a giant leatherbound briefcase (and if you’re perfectly comfortable ordering that Grenache hand delivered from Sardinia, first, don’t rub it in, and second, scroll down to the bottom for some sweet winery recs that let you order online)....

Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice, Atonement) “I am completely uneducated. Not going to university did give me an incredible driving force because it leaves you with a slight chip on your shoulder. It makes me feel I am going to read absolutely everything so I can prove I am not stupid.” Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility, Harry Potter) “I think books are like people, in the sense that they’ll turn up in your life when you most need them....