With the massive success and popularity of books like Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing, it’s clear that we are still firmly in our Romantasy Era, which makes J.R. Ward’s four-part romantasy series, Kingdoms of the Compass, right on time. Ward is no stranger to the fantastically romantic as...

Black Dagger Brotherhood Author J.R. Ward to Release 4-Book Romantasy Series

Again and again, I’ve exclaimed that immersion reading, reading along with a book while the same title plays on audio, has worked its way into my bookish heart as my favorite way to read. That hasn’t changed. However, my amount of free time has dwindled. Suspecting the rarity of unbusy hands approaching, I, in the second half of last year, listened to three books immersively: Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, translated by Gregory Rabassa; Ghost Girl, Banana by Wiz Wharton; and Where the Line Bleeds by Jesmyn Ward.

What is Immersion Reading?

Covers market a book, and despite the saying, we judge our books by them. We have to—in a world saturated with things trying to get our attention, a book cover is designed to both appeal to a reader and sell its contents to the appropriate reader. Historically, covers carried less weight than they do now, especially in the YA market. Libraries and schools would typically purchase hardcovers, so the designs for them didn’t need to necessarily attract the teenager at the bookstore. That was more frequently saved for paperback editions which came at a lower price point for the teen market.

4+ YA Cover Makeovers: YA Book Talk and News, August 8, 2024

What’s better than a regular-sized historical fiction book? A short historical fiction book that you can finish in the span of a weekend. That’s just math. All of these historical fiction books under 300 pages are short, sweet, and to the point. They’re not going to drag you along for dozens upon dozens of pages on side tangents about the Napoleonic wars (looking at you Victor Hugo). Instead, these books set the historical scene and get straight to the story. Sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.

Short Historical Fiction Books To Read In a Weekend

Maine State

Aspiring authors, meet your new best friends: Liz Morrow and Ariel Curry. These seasoned pros provide an engaging and effective resource that includes a practical roadmap for planning, writing, and publishing your book, plus insider tips on capturing the attention of agents and publishers—even without a massive following. Writers at any stage will thrive with this comprehensive guide and ready access to HungryAuthors.com for additional support.

10 of the Best Books on Writing and Publishing

Have you ever experienced the dread that comes with hearing a disembodied buzzing in the room with you, only to see the slim leg of a paper wasp come creeping out from behind the blinds? Have you experienced the disgust that comes when you go to pick an errant hair away from your sweaty neck, only to realize it’s a click beetle? How do you feel when you see a silverfish scurry across your bathroom ceiling…a spotted lantern fly pinwheel toward you on a current of air…a hulking spider retreat into the dark, narrow space between your mailbox and your house’s siding?

An Infestation of Insect-Related Horror

Interesting Engineering

Archaeologists uncovered a rare hoard of Persian gold coins in the ancient city of Notion in Turkey that most likely belonged to a wealthy mercenary soldier.

Pot filled with gold coins buried by soldier 2400-year-ago discovered

Los Angeles, CA

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Herbie J Pilato

Dennis the Menace actor Jay North is now 73 years old. This is his story. On August 3, 1951, Jay North was born Jay Waverly North, Jr., in Los Angeles, and seven years later, began acting on TV on shows like Wanted: Dead or Alive, and 77 Sunset Strip.

Former Childstar Jay North (TV's 'Dennis the Menace') Turns 73

It’s Women in Translation Month! Like it says on the Women in Translation website, “Every August, readers from all continents around the world (except Antarctica, but we’ll get those penguins yet!) gather in spirit (and sometimes in person) to read, review, and discuss works by women writers in translation.” I first started observing #WITmonth back in 2016 and have loved it ever since. So today, we’re looking at two different nonfiction titles by women in translation. But first, bookish goods!

It’s Women in Translation Month!

Actor Buddy Ebsen, who died at age 95 in 2003, found fame by starring in two of the most popular classic television shows in history: The Beverly Hillbillies (CBS, 1962 to 1971) and Barnaby Jones (CBS, 1973 to 1980). On the Hillbillies, he played former Tennessee country mountain-folk-turned-wealthy Beverly Hills resident Jed Clampett. On Barnaby Jones, he was one of TV's most senior, slyest, health-conscious detectives. Ebsen, however, almost became even more famous for a certain big-screen classic film in which he ultimately did not appear.

'Beverly Hillbillies" Actor Buddy Ebsen Was "Bitter" about not playing the Tin Man in 'Wizard of Oz'

NewsNinja

A lady is cautioning others about purchasing budget earrings from Amazon, Shein, and H&M, after she experienced keloid formations on her earlobes due to wearing them. On a TikTok post that has garnered more than 334,000 likes, Sailor Rozema (@sailor.rozema), a content creator, shares a warning with her community of "dangly earring girls": the inexpensive jewelry found in fast fashion can have negative impacts on your well-being.

‘I’ll never be wearing earrings for the rest of my life’: Customer warns against buying from Shein

Devra Lee

Disclaimer: This content was written by Devra Lee for general informational and entertainment purposes only. This service is to provide astrological information that has been researched, recorded, and observed by the author.

Horoscope for Friday, August 9th

Massachusetts State

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Dianna Carney

Sandy Paws Rescue Inc., a foster-based rescue in Massachusetts, is still looking for a forever home for an adorable six-year-old French bulldog named Joannie. The local animal rescue explains: “Joannie was found as a stray extremely emaciated and less than half her current weight now. She was missing fur on her body, face and ears. She has been nursed back to health and is doing wonderfully. While her age and exact history is unknown, it is clear she has mothered more than enough litters in her short lifetime.”

Meet The "Extreme Snuggler" French Bulldog Still Looking For Love

Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. If you’ve been wanting to turn your book club into an episode of Hot Ones, now’s your moment. Walmart, the big-box retailer historically devoted to ~family values, has created a line of hot sauces inspired by spicy romance novels. Made in partnership with Melinda’s Hot Sauces, the Spicy Books limited-edition set includes five 5oz bottles of various heat levels and retails for $14.98. Walmart cooked up the caliente condiments as a surprise for screenwriter Yulin Kuang, who is set to adapt two Emily Henry novels (Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation) and whose own debut, How to End a Love Story, was published in April. Stay tuned for the next culinary tie-in, James Patterson’s “mystery” meat Spam promo.

🌶️ Walmart Gets Spicy with Romance-Inspired Hot Sauce (Yes, Really)

This giveaway is sponsored by W Publishing, publisher of A Crown that Lasts. In A Crown that Lasts, former Miss Universe and Miss South Africa Demi Tebow confesses the danger of tying our identities to our accomplishments. Discover the truth of who you were created to be and how to use your platform, no matter how big or small, for eternal impact. The purpose of our lives is to love and serve God and others. Demi shows how you can be encouraged to focus not just on your aspirations, but on your greater purpose and leave behind a footprint of significance, not just success.

Enter to Win an Audiobook Download of A CROWN THAT LASTS by Demi-Leigh Tebow!

IFLScience

Its scientific name is Ouroborus cataphractus for good reason.

The Armadillo Lizard Is Like A Real-Life Baby Dragon In South Africa's Desert

It’s time once again for your bi-weekly roundup of mystery goodness! Before I jump into the new releases, backlist, and news, I want to share the delightful film I watched this weekend. I pressed play knowing nothing about Wicked Little Letters (Netflix) because all I needed to watch it was to see Olivia Coleman on the poster. I was thrilled to discover the film is part historical mystery, part procedural, and ends with a courtroom trial. I found it hilarious, and while Coleman was her usual perfect, I also loved Jessie Buckley’s character and was ecstatic to see Anjana Vasan from We Are Lady Parts.

New Maureen Johnson Mystery, British Serial Killer Procedural, 500+ Page Mysteries & More!

South Carolina State

Explore Beaufort SC

The mantis shrimp is one tough customer. Beautiful and deadly are two words you don’t typically use to describe shrimp, but the mantis shrimp is definitely in a class of its own; earning a reputation as the ‘savage boxer of the sea’ and one of the most fearsome creatures in the ocean. And, they're right at home here in South Carolina.

Savage Boxer of the Sea: The Deadly Beauty of Mantis Shrimp

Who is Anubis? Anubis, the ancient Egyptian god, is often depicted with a jackal's head and a human body. He played a crucial role in Egyptian mythology, especially in the afterlife. Anubis was the protector of graves and the guide of souls to the afterlife. His duties included overseeing the mummification process and weighing the hearts of the deceased against the feather of Ma'at, the goddess of truth. This determined whether a soul was worthy of entering the afterlife. Anubis's significance in Egyptian culture cannot be overstated, as he ensured the dead received proper rites and a fair judgment.

13 Facts About Anubis Egyptian God

ComingSoon

Wondering how to watch The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader online and whether it’s available to stream for free? Look no more, as we have all the details right here. It is a popular fantasy film based on C.S. Lewis’ 1952 namesake novel. In this...

Can You Watch The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Online Free?

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10 Books That Expand a Classic’s Universe

When you read a classic novel, there’s always more to discover. The richest novels have a lot going on besides just the main plot line. In...

10 Books That Expand a Classic’s Universe

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