Typically, if I’m not recommending a book based on a specific interest, I turn to nonfiction that made an impact on me, that reads like fiction, or that tells a story wild enough to feel made up. So, I’ve put together a list of 16 books that I think readers of any genre could find interesting or impactful. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara Published posthumously after McNamara’s sudden death, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is a true crime account of The Golden State Killer....

As we all know, that didn’t last very long, but I believe because of the fast fleeting nature of the prosperity in the 1920s, it is still a decade worthy of fascination, even 100 years after. That being said, I also believe that when we talk about the Jazz Age, we tend to focus on very privileged, very male, white, and western narratives. So, I hope that this list can scratch that itch beyond just flappers and philosophers and expand your love for this elusive decade as we enter the 2020s....

Gaby Wood, Literary Director of the Booker Prize Foundation, writes of the shortlist: “It was hard to watch the judges narrow down their longlist to this shortlist: they were so committed to all 13 of the books they’d chosen just over a month ago that the discussion was intense. Still, these six remain extraordinary: they bring news of different worlds; they carry a wealth of lives and voices; they’re in conversation, in various ways, with other works of literature....

For 2022, it’s clear that the power of BookTok has made itself known in not only the winners, but in the slate of finalists from which readers could choose. Insights from Goodreads: “With more than 5.7 million votes cast and counted, the 14th Annual Goodreads Choice Awards are now official. Launched in 2009, the Goodreads Choice Awards honor the year’s best books as decided by you, the readers. Full list of winners and nominees here....

As usual for translations, most of these books come from small presses. Small, independent publishers are truly doing great work when it comes to finding and publishing exciting new books. Or, in some cases, they do the important work of putting older books back into print. If you love books in translation, make sure to do what you can to support small presses! Below you will find books from 17 different presses, 16 of them independent ones....

Life Lessons & Lifestyle Sports provide ample opportunity for teaching life lessons to children. Whether it’s a great sports metaphor or an inspiring story of perseverance, there’s a lot to be learned through athletics. The books in this section all have a lesson or two to teach children about themselves and the world around them. Overcoming Adversity Through Sport Sports, like every other aspect of social life, reflect society’s prejudices and injustices....

Because I am terrible at ranking things, I’ve just put them in chronological order. I’ll start with a few age-old classics that have been referenced and parodied a thousand times, then move on to the modern masterpieces that deserve their own place in comics history. Without further ado, let’s take a look at some fantastic—and sometimes historic—comic book covers! Action Comics #1 (1939) Drawn by Superman co-creator Joe Shuster, this is the cover of the first official superhero comic....

CJ’s never lived up to her mom’s ambition, and she’s perfectly happy just helping her aunt, Hannah, at their family’s flower shop. She doesn’t buy into Hannah’s ideas about flowers and their hidden meanings, but when it comes to floral arrangement, CJ discovers a skill she can be proud of. Then her mom decides to sell the shop—to the family who swindled CJ’s grandparents when Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps during WWII....

When sixteen-year-old Georgia Avis discovers the dead body of thirteen-year-old Ashley James, she teams up with Ashley’s older sister, Nora, to find and bring the killer to justice before he strikes again. But their investigation throws Georgia into a world of unimaginable privilege and wealth, without conscience or consequence, and as Ashley’s killer closes in, Georgia will discover when money, power and beauty rule, it might not be a matter of who is guilty—but who is guiltiest....

The best toddler books, which I’ve listed here, pass all three tests, and each brings something special of its own, whether it’s a sweet storyline, a danceable rhythm, or a surprise hidden behind a flap. Some toddlers are getting ready to read picture books — the hardcover kind with the easily ripped pages — but most of these books are available as a sturdy board book that can take some extra love....

Shakespeare Love Quotes from Romeo and Juliet I’m not a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet, but you can’t deny that it’s a romantic play—that’s basically the whole point. There are some beautiful lines in this play to use in weddings or love letters. Just try to forget that they die at the end. “If I profane with my unworthiest hand “Love is a smoke rais’d with the fume of sighs; Being purg’d, a fire sparkling in a lover’s eyes; Being vex’d, a sea nourish’d with lovers’ tears: What is it else?...

Now, first things first: I need you to know that I could fill an entire post with Mary Oliver poems on nature. In fact, I encourage you to check out posts from fellow Rioters: 5 Quotes from Mary Oliver Poems That Could Save Humanity; A Note of Gratitude to Mary Oliver on Her Birthday; and Buy, Borrow, Bypass: The Call to Language (or The Mary Oliver Edition). My best advice is to just go read all of Mary Oliver....

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander The New Jim Crow presents a very compelling case for the way in which racism has been systematically incorporated into the United States government. It traces a line from slavery to the Jim Crow Laws right up through the modern prison industrial complex. It shows how, into the present day, we have found a way to oppress minorities through completely legal means. This book blew my mind wide open....

Like most higher ed nerds I know, I live for fall. There’s a sense of possibility that exists on a college campus come move-in day that can’t be found anywhere else. First-year students file in with wide eyes and overflowing cars, ready to explore all that campus has to offer. Freedom, a new environment, and seemingly endless extracurricular offerings are all just as enticing as the classes they’ve worked with their advisors to select....

Here is just a handful of books that feel so real—and yet so different. The Ensemble by Aja Gabel This story explores the highly competitive world of classical musicians at the top of their field, where the air simmers with the perpetual pressure to be better. Told from the alternating perspectives of the four members in a string quartet, its insights on the sacrifices the artists make to keep their place in that world are searing: They talked and worked through the minibar in the way Brit had imagined real college students did it, the kind of college kids who weren’t practicing four to five hours a day, who weren’t protecting their hands and fingers from minor injuries or cuts, who weren’t banking on a clear head to get them through the next day’s rehearsal, who weren’t choosing friends based on their ability to play, and losing them for similar reasons....

Without representation, it can be much harder for LGBTQIA people to discover their sexuality and gender identities, and to flourish within those identities. Realizing that there is a word which represents some aspect of who you are is a pivotal experience! Pansexual people deserve to be given that experience more readily. One way to accomplish that would be through books with pansexual main characters. The following books feature prominent characters who are explicitly pansexual....

Still, if prequel shows spotlighting side characters is the way DC wants to go, then there’s plenty more where that came from! Here are a few other DC supporting characters that might as well have a show, too. Because why not? Jonathan and Martha Kent Who They Are: Superman’s human parents When They Debuted: Superman #1 (1939) What the Show Would Be Like: Witness the Kents run a farm! Watch as Jonathan gets a tractor out of the mud WITHOUT a super-strong son to lift it for him!...

Once you’ve consumed everything pumpkin-flavored and finally brought out your favorite sweaters, there is nothing left to do but get in the holiday spirit by terrifying yourself. Here are five great graphic novels sure to give you the creeps. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll This graphic novel is actually a collection of short stories from award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll. These stories take you on a creepy journey through the woods with five tales inspired by fairy tales that take a dark turn for the worst—think back to those terrifying stories you told each other around the campfire while camping as a kid....

Book Riot is teaming up with Harlequin.com to giveaway a Kindle Oasis to one lucky winner! Here’s a little more about Harlequin.com: Harlequin.com is the official Harlequin book site. Join us to see the newest novels, read exclusive free stories from Harlequin authors, connect with our community of romance book lovers, meet your favorite authors, buy romance books online and more! Want more great YA about trans teens? We’ve got you covered....

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