Here are four resources that have helped me along the way. Ayurveda by Sahara Rose Ketabi This overview of Ayurveda, the science of life, has a foreword by Deepak Chopra, the guru for all things mindful. While listed as an idiot’s guide (not a fan of the monicker), it does break down the ancient science in very simple terms. Before giving any kind of advice, the book offers an in-depth history of Ayurveda and how it can be incorporated into Western culture....

Orpheus Girl by Brynne Rebele-Henry (October 8) The Orpheus myth is reimagined as a queer girl love story that takes on the topic of conversion therapy. Raya and Sarah are from a conservative Texas town; when they’re discovered in an intimate moment, they’re sent to “Friendly Saviors.” There, Raya decides she will be Orpheus and escape the center and their so-called treatments. The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus (September 17) Told from the alternating perspectives of the two lead girls, Petrus’s debut novel features two queer Black girls from different backgrounds falling in love....

A few months later, Aaron gave me all six Scott Pilgrim books for my birthday. I tore through the half dozen books and then found myself seeking out more graphic novels at the public library. I approached this previously unexplored corner of the library and found a cache of graphic novel jewels. Now, whenever I visit the library, I find at least two or three new ones to add to my library tote....

Some spoilers about these cities and their books to follow. King’s Landing From the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. King’s Landing is the capital city of the Seven Kingdoms, and it’s where you will find the infamous Iron Throne and the Red Keep. You might think that escaping to King’s Landing might be great right about now because the weather there is nice and the city as a whole is fairly wealthy, especially when compared to other areas of Westeros....

Descriptions provided by Goodreads. The Best First-Person Books to Read Sorry to Disrupt the Peace by Patty Yumi Cottrell “Helen Moran is thirty-two years old, single, childless, college-educated, and partially employed as a guardian of troubled young people in New York. She’s accepting a delivery from IKEA in her shared studio apartment when her uncle calls to break the news: Helen’s adoptive brother is dead. According to the internet, there are six possible reasons why her brother might have killed himself....

Now, who’s ready to travel time and space with me? What is historical fiction? A historical fiction definition seems simple enough: it’s fiction that takes place in the past. Typically, historical fiction books are written at least 30–50 years after the event or time period has taken place. While some of it may be remembered from a lived experience, a lot of a historical fiction novel’s conception comes from research....

It’s been a few years since I’ve seen a round-up of YA books across the United States, so I wanted to pull one together for readers who, like me, love settings. Every state in the U.S. has a different feel to it, and there’s nothing like getting that flavor when reading. Let’s take a trip together across the 50 states of YA. I’ve included a wide range of realistic, historical, mystery, and even fantasy books on this reading road trip, with some that offer a deep dive into the things that make their state special and others that offer thoughtful critiques and insights into what it means to live in a specific area of the country....

Who is BTS? The members of BTS: Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, have achieved a lot and won numerous awards; both domestically and internationally. Also notable is the love that they receive from their fans, ARMY—which the members reciprocate, often saying how grateful they are. — 방탄소년단 (@BTS_twt) January 1, 2020 All of the members share information with their fans about their interests, and BTS leader RM has expressed a love of reading....

Find Your Voice by Angie Thomas If you loved The Hate U Give and On The Come Up, great news: YA superstar Angie Thomas has written a guided journal, stuffed with advice, exercises, quotes and prompts to kickstart your own debut novel. Designed to take you all the way through your first draft, it helps you dig deep into your characters, plot out your act structure, and refine your ideas to make your story the best it can be....

Walter Mosley, a Los Angeles native born in 1952, who now resides in New York and Los Angeles (Mosley and I shared the same high school, Alexander Hamilton High School, a school that often appears in the Easy Rawlins series) has also been the recipient of the O. Henry Award, The Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Master Award, a member of the New York State Writers Hall of Fame, a Grammy, several NAACP Image Awards and the Pen America’s Lifetime Achievement Award....

Hungry stars on the rise need to deal with the challenges of success. How will your protagonist handle fans, partying, and writer’s block? On the flip side, your protagonist could be a declining star wrestling with failure. They can’t seem to keep up with their audience anymore and either need to get out or change course. Something about getting an inside look at a fake career is tantalizing. Especially when artistic success and popularity are the foundation of the job....

Where cooking is concerned, “theme” can mean any number of things: a family of cuisine, the way a dish is prepared, or the way it’s finished. It can be limited to the dish or dishes, or go beyond to encompass place settings, decor, and entertainment. And since you’re in the driver’s seat as chef and planner, you can decide the extent to which you want to incorporate the chosen theme, so no need to feel intimidated; you do you and remember, this is supposed to make things more fun, not more stressful....

If You’re Looking For a Classic… A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin You can pretty much draw a direct line between Le Guin’s Earthsea and Harry Potter, down to the powerful boy wizard who goes off and develops a close connection with his biggest enemy. As Ged’s power grows, so does his hubris, and he accidentally releases a mysterious and dangerous entity, as much a danger to the world as it is to Ged....

In 2011 Prince William married Kate Middleton, The Oprah Winfrey Show ended, Adele released her chart-topping “21” album, and the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl. Does any of this sound familiar? Moving into the world of books, changes in publishing since then include: graphic novels and audiobooks becoming more popular, books starting to increasingly be adapted for TV rather than film, and new efforts to increase diversity. This is not just interesting information for book lovers; it’s important to look at because publishing is a businesses....

“When the Year Grows Old” by Edna St. Vincent Millay Excerpt: I cannot but remember When the year grows old— October—November— How she disliked the cold! “When Giving is All We Have” by Alberto Rios Excerpt: One river gives Its journey to the next. We give because someone gave to us. “[little tree]” by E.E. Cummings Excerpt: little tree little silent Christmas tree you are so little you are more like a flower who found you in the green forest and were you very sorry to come away?...

Well, that someday is today (or whenever you’re ready). I think the most intimidating part of reading a long book is just getting over staring at it in disbelief. My first thought is always awe for the author for writing so many words. My second thought is questioning if I’ll ever finish the book. Case in point: it took me five years to complete The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I figure that I’m not the only one intimidated by very long books, so here are some practical tips that’ll help you finish one that’s been sitting on your shelf for far too long....

Book puns are not only good for a laugh or an eye roll. They’re great for libraries, for teachers, and for other book lovers who want to find clever, catchy ways to draw attention to books and reading. There’s a reason that book puns show up on fun t-shirts, tote bags, and mugs: readers can’t get enough. Plus: puns are part of what makes language fun. I’m a wholehearted word nerd, and being able to play with language only makes me love the ability to use those words even more....

Find below a roundup of some of the most exciting YA paperbacks hitting shelves this spring. Because publication dates can shift, these are as current as can be expected. Some of these books are paperback originals—meaning they’ll only ever release in paperback—while others are first releases of paperbacks from books that have already been published in hardcover. I’ve stuck to first books in a series only, so know there are additional paperback releases of series books but they’re not the start of those series....