Tag: reading

February 26, 2020

Fairytale Retellings You’ll Wish You Wrote

It’s National Tell a Fairytale Day! We here at Bookstr absolutely love classic fairytales. They remind us of simpler times when all we had to worry about was what we wanted to eat for lunch and who we wanted to play with on the playground. But as we grow, we expand our *very sophisticated* taste for literature, and we find ourselves fascinated with fantastical worlds with modern elements. So, to satisfy your thirst for classic tales with modern twists, we’ve compiled a list of magical fairytale retellings that will make you wish you wrote them.

CInderella- ‘cinder’ by Marissa Meyer

image via amazon

Cyborgs and androids and princes, oh my! Cinder combines the best of the beloved fairytale with the best of science fiction, action, and romance. This book will capture your attention and pull you into the world of New Beijing, a world where technology rules and interests collide.

beauty and the beast- ‘A court of thorns and roses’ by Sarah j. maas

IMAGE VIA amazon

Beauty and the Beast takes on a fantastical new life through this complex story complete with faeries, curses, and of course, romance. A Court of Thorns and Roses brings a fantastical addition to the world of fairytale retellings.

Queen of Hearts- ‘heartless’ by Marissa Meyer

image via GoodReads

Think you’ve had enough of Wonderland? Think again! Marissa Meyer completely transforms this classic world from a new perspective. Far from the character we think we know, Heartless allows us to dive deep into the world of the Queen of Hearts when she was just Catherine, a beautiful young baker in Wonderland.

SNOW WHITE- ‘THE SHADOW QUEEN’ BY C.J. REDWINE

image via amazon

Snow White gets a fiery new twist with this one. Heir to the throne and fugitive Lorelai is armed with a vengeance and ready to kill the Queen who murdered and took her family’s throne. When Prince Kol of a neighboring kingdom makes a wicked deal with the Queen, he finds himself torn between his promised task and Lorelai, who has completely subverted his expectations.

Cinderella- ‘geekerella’ by Ashley poston

image via amazon

Geekerella steps beyond the fantasy world and tells the story of Ellie Wittimer, book superfan. Sound familiar? As this fandom fanatic crashes into the world of heartthrob Darien Freeman, both learn they may have more in common than they think. This lighthearted story positions the classic fairytale in a modern, realistic setting, complete with movies, meet-and-greets, and cosplay. What’s not to love?

Featured image via poets unlimited

Bookstr is community supported. If you enjoy Bookstr’s articles, quizzes, graphics and videos, please join our Patreon to support our writers and creators or donate to our Paypal and help Bookstr to keep supporting the book loving community.
Become a Patron!

February 18, 2020

You Need to Read this Woman’s Experience at Uber

CW: Sexual harassment

In an article by Time, former Uber software engineer Susan Fowler opens up about her blog post describing the sexual harassment she faced while working at the company. Her report came after a manager was talking about sex on an open chat in the company app. Fowler took a screenshot of the conversation and reported it to HR. After her blog post, which can be read here, Fowler published a book called Whistleblower, detailing her fight for justice in the events during and after working at Uber.

image via time

To make matters worse, Fowler experienced constant harassment outside of work after she reported the sexual harassment. She found out people were digging for information about her, even going so far as to follow her. Fowler was told by friends and family that they were being asked by strange people about her, some that Fowler hadn’t been in contact with since she was a teenager. It’s really disturbing.

Fowler notes that eventually, private investigators were trying to get in touch with her. Fowler received a call from someone she didn’t know but decided to answer it. On the other side was a woman claiming to be working on a case against Uber, and she wanted Fowler to help her. Fowler declined and did her own research. It turned out that the woman worked for a firm that was hired for past cases working to discredit victims of sexual misconduct!

Fowler also notes instances of her social media being hacked, her phone ringing constantly to alert her, her email being hacked and combed through, and her sister’s accounts being hacked into. Although not directly correlated, it seems that Uber was retaliating against Fowler for speaking up, but she persevered.

In an interview with NPR News, Fowler speaks with David Greene about what happened after she filed the report. Fowler describes that the work culture was toxic, full of misogyny, bullying, and harassment. She’s had what she calls, “surreal encounters with an HR department that refused to take action.” She noticed a culture of destruction and rule-breaking, and was often yelled or berated at during meetings.

It’s really disgusting to think that this happens in workplaces, but it’s important to know that change can occur, which is what happened after Fowler left. The company’s CEO, Travis Kalanick, along with twenty other employees, were fired after investigations were held.

image via amazon

If you’d like to read about Fowler’s experience (and you should!), you can get her book on Amazon, linked just above.

February 18, 2020

NBA Legend’s Latest Children’s Book

Are you looking for books that you can read to your child? Look no further! I’m here to show you another book designed to inspire and motivate your kids. LeBron James has written a book titled I Promise, set to publish this coming August.

image via dailymail

While it will be a while before you can get your hands on it, you should still keep it in your shopping cart. In a press release, LeBron James said that “books have the ability to teach, inspire, and bring people together. That’s why these books, and the opportunity to get children and parents reading together, mean so much to me.” James says that his book is powerful because it’s a story that was made so that any child can see themselves in it. What a great message for kids!

The book encourages kids to be the best version of themselves through action. One page has a child speaking up and fighting for something through a megaphone. Another features a child dreaming big and becoming a team player. I think this material is something any kid will need as they grow and find their footing in the world. Books like this encourage them to be themselves and to do great work.

image via 10tv

James is a devout reader himself, which stems from his childhood. He states:

I used to be like one of the only kids in school who used to read newspapers. I would read ‘Sports Illustrated’ all the way through. I would read the articles. I would read all the articles. I wouldn’t just look at the photos. And I would rent out books, too, at the library in downtown Akron. I would read basketball encyclopedia books, just trying to learn the history.

There’s no way to buy or even pre order James’ book right now, so if you’re interested, you should keep a note to check back for any pre order dates!

featured image via usa Today

February 14, 2020

5 Love Poems to Read on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s day is typically known as a couple’s holiday – a holiday which inspires gifts of roses, chocolates, and even marriage proposals. For me though, and maybe it’s the English major in me, this is a day that makes me want to read love poems. I know, I know. It’s extremely corny to say that. Call me a romantic, but there is something about reading a poem and knowing that it was crafted for someone that the poet loved that just makes me want to sit with those words. Poetry is hard to write. Sometimes, a five line poem can take hours, or even days, to craft. So a love poem, to me, isn’t just a handful of sweet words–it is one of the most powerful ways to express one’s affection.

All of my mushy rambling about love poetry aside, here are five love poems that you can read on Valentine’s day.

1. Harold pinter’s “it is here“

image via wallpaper flare

What sound was that?
I turn away, into the shaking room.

What was that sound that came in on the dark?
What is this maze of light it leaves us in?
What is this stance we take,
To turn away and then turn back?
What did we hear?
It was the breath we took when we first met.

Listen. It is here.

2. E.E. Cumming’s “[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]“

image via pinterest

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling) (read more)

(Cummings has a very interesting way of formatting his poetry. The absence of capitalization and absence of spaces between parentheses and the rest of the line is fully intentional)

3. Pablo Neruda’s “If you Forget me“

image via dhgate

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me. (read more)

4. Spiritwind Wood’s “Let’s Grow old Together“

image via wallpaper flare

Let’s sit underneath the open sky
and watch the night just pass us by
let’s me and you dream of the now
and don’t worry about tomorrow
you know we will make it somehow

Let us talk about our plan
two lover’s hand in hand
and let’s grow old together (read more)

5. Christina Rossetti’s “I loved you first: but afterwards your love“

image via pinterest

I loved you first: but afterwards your love

Outsoaring mine, sang such a loftier song

As drowned the friendly cooings of my dove.

Which owes the other most? my love was long,

And yours one moment seemed to wax more strong;

I loved and guessed at you, you construed me

And loved me for what might or might not be –

Nay, weights and measures do us both a wrong. (read more)

Featured Image Via Money Crashers

February 12, 2020

You’ll Want This Book for your Kids

Hello readers! Are you interested in a book for you kids? Well, look no further! Shaynae Clark, Detroit mother to Pierre Clark, a child with cochlear implants, has recently had her children’s book, We are Friends and We are Different!, published! In it, she tells a story of different children coming together to be friends, despite their differences.

Clark’s book, according to the video above, is centered around children with various differences, because she seeks to teach the audience she is targeting that differences are ok in people; differences should not be the thing that defines who we can and can’t be friends with.

Clark’s book has gained inspiration from her son, who has Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder, where the inner ear successfully detects sound, but has a problem with sending sound from the ear to the brain. As she has raised her child, she has embraced and understood what it meant to be an advocate for not only kids with cochlear implants but for other kids with disabilities and differences.

Clark says that her book is a good starting point for parents to begin important conversations with their kids about why people are different and to not be afraid of them. If you are interested in her book, you may visit the amazon link above!

Featured image via Amazon