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A thrilling post-apocalyptic podcast for young adults; season one available now!

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Celebrities and Corporations Have Found the Solution to COVID-19, but They’re Not Sharing

The Kardashians are not known for being role models; after all, courting controversy is how they remain relevant. But this past week alone, two separate members of the Kardashian-Jenner clan have come under fire for their conduct during the pandemic. Kim Kardashian’s 40th birthday celebration on a private island with her friends and family — complete with multiple rounds of testing and quarantining for all the guests — was heavily criticized as being tone deaf. Many pointed out that the money spent on the trip could have been put to better use helping those who were struggling financially, while others responded with how they spent their pandemic birthdays alone. Just days later, Kendall Jenner threw a Halloween party that also doubled as a celebration for her 25th birthday — with many A-list stars in attendance, including Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, and The Weeknd . Despite Kendall’s reported “no social media” rule , clips of maskless gu...

The Myrtle Hardcastle series by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Twelve-year-old Myrtle Hardcastle has a passion for justice and a Highly Unconventional obsession with criminal science. Armed with her father’s law books and her mum’s microscope, Myrtle studies toxicology, keeps abreast of the latest developments in crime scene analysis, and Observes her neighbors in the quiet village of Swinburne, England. When her next-door neighbor, a wealthy spinster and eccentric breeder of rare flowers, dies under Mysterious Circumstances, Myrtle seizes her chance. With her unflappable governess, Miss Ada Judson, by her side, Myrtle takes it upon herself to prove Miss Wodehouse was murdered and find the killer, even if nobody else believes her — not even her father, the town prosecutor. Hey guys! The Myrtle Hardcastle series is a sweet and witty detective collection, both of which are now available to purchase. This middle grade series is full of twists and turns, and absolutely delightful for readers of all ages. However, since it is middle grade, enjoy this g...

Sexist Double Standards Take Center Stage at Super Bowl Half Time Show

Over the past few days, I’ve found myself double-tapping a lot of Weeknd memes . While I definitely got a good laugh out of the lackluster effort put into the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show, I can’t seem to shake my uneasiness surrounding the entire situation. With a budget of around $20 million , $7 million of which The Weeknd contributed out of pocket, this year’s Super Bowl Halftime show felt rather anticlimactic. Whether it was the hazy camerawork , tired costume , or confusing choreography , the Weeknd’s performance lacked the zing that has animated the Half Time Show stage in prior years. The Weeknd’s performance fell a little short of the halftime standards established by stars like Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Katy Perry, and Beyonce. These artists all used their performances to showcase their unique aesthetics and talents, as the Weeknd did with the recurring themes of face bandages and his radio-ready vocals. However, these f...

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We need to investigate the death of Sushant Singh Rajput

Sushant Singh Rajput did not commit suicide. He was murdered. I’m not saying this in order to dramatize his death, but because I genuinely believe that the facts don’t add up and an investigation is needed. Here’s why: All Sources: Sushant Singh Rajput's Fans Stage Protests Sushant Singh Rajput’s ex-manager Disha Salian committed suicide in Mumbai last week Sushant Singh Rajput's Uncle Claims he Was Murdered, Demands CBI Probe Karan Johar Opens Up About His Sexual Orientation Namrata Datta( @candinam ) is a PhD Scholar at Cambridge who mistook Sushant for a Physicist when she met her at the Paris airport,he asked her if he could apply for scholarship to get into Physics. pic.twitter.com/SgVtMSsAxx — siddhant. (@ignoreandfly) June 17, 2020 View this post on Instagram It is important to give talent their due. And if celebrities are struggling with personal and mental health issues, the m...

101 Ways to Win Every Time

“Let us never negotiate out of fear, but never fear to negotiate.” –John F. Kennedy. I’ve just finished The Only Negotiating Guide You’ll Ever Need, and it was such an enlightening read. Jammed full with tips on body language, different types of personality, and lots of examples, it was a concise and clear read. This book offers tips on how to ask for a promotion, negotiating deadlines, deciding what foods to eat, and many other day-to-day occurrences. Following the steps provided in this book, anyone can become a master negotiator; with a little practice. One great thing in this book is that it teaches you to identify what you counterpart is not saying. Often, clues and signs of your counterpart’s discomfort fall through the cracks because you’re not paying enough attention. By tuning yourself in to you counterpart’s tone, body language, and word choice, you can read between the lines, allowing you to be more successful. This book also points out that someone who views negotiation...

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

So I just wrapped up Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, and it was … interesting. Honestly, I didn’t really catch the hype for Six of Crows (like the tattoo-level hype), but I liked it. All I remembered was Kaz and Inej. That’s the reason I came back, and boy was I rewarded. Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world. The Plot of Crooked Kingdom was similar to Six...

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

"I envied her dark skirts. Mine would show every trace of mud and filth the city had to offer. But I had to wear white, knowing I would see Victor." Elizabeth Lavenza hasn't had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her "caregiver," and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything--except a friend. Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable--and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable. But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth's survival depends on managing Victor's dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a gi...

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Afterworlds alternates chapters between the story of a young author, and the book she’s writing. You get to see how her real-life experiences affect her manuscript. The issue is that neither of the stories are even mildly interesting enough. Darcy Patel is afraid to believe all the hype. But it's really happening - her teen novel is getting published. Instead of heading to college, she's living in New York City, where she's welcomed into the dazzling world of YA publishing. That means book tours, parties with her favorite authors, and finding a place to live that won't leave her penniless. It means sleepless nights rewriting her first draft and struggling to find the perfect ending... all while dealing with the intoxicating, terrifying experience of falling in love - with another writer. Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, the thrilling story of Lizzie, who wills her way into the afterworld to survive a deadly terrorist attack. With survival comes ...

Warcross by Marie Lu

I’ve never exactly been able to get into video games, despite all my best efforts … but I still love hearing about them, and trying my hand at them every once in a while. Warcross gave me some major Hunger Games meets Ender Game vibes, and I was not disappointed! For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty-hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation. Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when ...

Dedicated or Desensitized: Athletes Continue to Train Hard as Smoke Envelops California

“Practice is cancelled again today! How will I race next weekend?” My sister bursts through the door, her voice laced with concern. We launch into a discussion, trying to decide the best workaround. Three hours later, we’re swimming indoors at our local YMCA, relieved to be able to continue practicing. Similar scenes played out across California as the Air Quality Index (AQI) crept higher and higher and athletes scrambled to find indoor training options . While many in California were hit hard by the smoky skies, athletes faced a unique struggle. Swimmers, for instance, put in months and months of training to build up to championship performances. Even a few days without practice could keep us from reaching our goals, especially when the difference between success and failure comes down to milliseconds. We didn’t have an uninterrupted practice between Nov. 8 and Nov. 21, and the meets that we had spent weeks preparing for were cancelled. Most local clubs cancel...

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Wonder Woman Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

Honestly, the Wonder Woman movie did not work miracles on me like it seemed to have done on everyone else. But I was still excited to jump into this book, because, Leigh Bardugo. Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may have doomed the world. Alia just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery. Together, Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringe...

As If On Cue by Marisa Kanter

Lifelong rivals Natalie and Reid have never been on the same team. So when their school’s art budget faces cutbacks, of course Natalie finds herself up against her nemesis once more. She’s fighting to direct the school’s first ever student-written play, but for her small production to get funding, the school’s award-winning band will have to lose it. Reid’s band. And he’s got no intention of letting the show go on. But when their rivalry turns into an all-out prank war that goes too far, Natalie and Reid have to face the music, resulting in the worst compromise: writing and directing a musical. Together. At least if they deliver a sold-out show, the school board will reconsider next year’s band and theater budget. Everyone could win. Except Natalie and Reid. Because after spending their entire lives in competition, they have absolutely no idea how to be co-anything. And they certainly don’t know how to deal with the feelings that are inexplicably, weirdly, definitely developing between...