If, like me, you spent a solid portion of your weekend watching the Olympics and exclaiming variations on, “How did they do that?!,” you’ve no doubt noticed that there’s a lot of downtime in between the dopamine hits. How better to fill the downtime than with some Olympic-themed reading? If that’s not your flavor, maybe you’ll have better luck with the great ebooks on sale today.
August is such a busy month, whether or not you’re preparing for back-to-school season. That’s the case for publishing. What used to be a slower month has really ramped up in the last few years—August is packed with new YA book releases, which is just a precursor to the bounty of new releases we’ll also see in the coming fall months.
After passing one of the most restrictive book banning measures in the country, the state of Utah has released its list of books to be banned from schools across the state. House Bill 29 allows parents to challenge books they deem “sensitive material” while also outright banning books from public schools if those books have been deemed “objective sensitive material” or “pornographic” per state code in at least three school districts or two school districts and five charter schools statewide.
The law, which went into effect July 1, applied retroactively, meaning that every school needed to submit to the Utah State Board of Education the titles that had been deemed against the law in their district. Now, any time a public or charter school removes a book deemed “sensitive material,” they must notify the State Board of Education. If that book now meets the threshold of removals, all schools will be notified and expected to dispose of it.
I have a lot of exciting things to share today, including the first traditionally published Native American rom-com novel written by a Native author, a second-chance romance abroad, and some workplace romances. Enjoy!
Prefer scary over steamy? We’ve got you covered with new mysteries and thrillers.
Who doesn’t love the opportunity to inject some literary charm into their outfit with accessories? And since a lot of us need to pull our hair up in hot weather or keep those bangs we’re growing out of our eyes, hair accessories are one of the most reached-for ways to inject some personality into your look. While some people might like to commit to a full-on bookish look, for those of us who prefer a more subtle nod to our love of reading, a bookish hair accessory can add just the right amount of personality. Bookish hair accessories can also be great conversation starters by giving you the opportunity to talk about your favorite title or connect with someone about a beloved genre of books.
