Practically Bookish Podcast

Join us for our FIRST bonus episode where we discuss For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn. **THIS EPISODE CONSISTS OF SPOILERS**Get all the deets on Jaysea's website at https://jaysealynn.com/ and don't forget to check out the Hell's Belles series here on TikTok!!**PRODUCER NOTE** Some of the audio has some distortions in places which we are aware of. We are working on a fix for next time. Thanks for giving us some grace while we work with the tech we have. We appreciate you!

Social media might be at the root of many of our problems, but we can't ignore its impact on reading and the bookish community as a whole. Prior to Booksta and Booktok's massive bookish kick off during ThE PaNiNi, Borders/Waldenbooks shut down (2011), Barnes and Noble was on the verge of bankruptcy (prior to 2019), and many independent book stores were on the verge of shutting down, or non-existent. With the surge of readers during and after ThE PaNiNi, we've seen the bookish community explode, genres expand, and indie authors take full advantage of the opportunity. Not only did IG and TT help to revitalize the industry, but it damn near saved big box stores from extinction. Come yap with us!!Don't forget to follow us everywhere @practicallybookishpodcast!!Books to check out:⁠⁠⁠⁠The Bible⁠Eric Malikyte Backlist⁠The Inheritance Cycle: Christopher Paollini⁠Lord of The Rings: JRR TolkeinFor Whom the Belle Tolls: Jaysea LynnSources to note throughout the episode:Indie Book AwardsQueer Indie AwardsGoodreads AwardsExtras:Mark: Lou RidleyTolkien MovieBlackGirlBookFairSlow Burn Book ShopSupport the communities who need it most!We Need Diverse Books (Black Creatives Fund)GalleywayThe HelleboreResistance Links

So you can read. Great! But can you actually understand what you're reading? Can you use context clues to figure out what something means? Can you retain the information? This episode we discuss what functional literacy is, and how it effects individuals and society as a whole.Don't forget to frequent your local libraries and to follow us everywhere @practicallybookishpodcast!! Books to check out:⁠The BibleHoly Bible: From the Ancient Eastern TextFablehaven - Brandon MullChronicles of Narnia - CS LewisThe Inheritance Cycle - Christopher PaolliniA Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony SnicketThe Heir of Swansgrove - K.J. PritchettThe Echoes of Olympus Mons - Eric MalikyteBroke-Ass Witchcraft - Raven MorriganA Touch of Darkness - Scarlett St ClairSources to note throughout the episode:PubMed CentralBarbara Bush Foundation: Literacy Gap Map⁠APM Research LabExtras:⁠The OnionJolly Good GingerAaron Parnas⁠

As the popular memes and posts lately have been saying...You watched or read "The Hunger Games" and sided with the resistance.You watched "Star Wars" and sided with the resistance.You watched "The Matrix" and sided with the resistance.You watched or read "Divergent" and sided with the resistance.You read "Fourth Wing" and sided with the resistance.You watched "V for Vendetta" and sided with the resistance.When it's fiction, you understand. Yet you refuse to see it when it's the reality you're living. Wild.It's safe to say, we're at an impasse. Most people these days do not read critically, regardless of what they're reading. While they may be able to retain the information, many do not look for deeper meaning or context within the text they read. While there isn't technically anything wrong with that, reading critically allows us to fully connect with the stories and characters. For those of us who had this drilled into us during school, it happens automatically, almost by osmosis. However, for others, it is a skill that can be learned, and we discuss how and more!Don't forget to follow us everywhere @practicallybookishpodcast!!Books to check out:The Hunger Games - Suzanne CollinsHeated Rivalry - Rachel ReidRed, White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuistonFourth Wing - Rebecca YarrosFor Whom The Belle Tolls - Jaysea LynnGrotesque - Allison PaigeBlood Infernal - James Rollins, Rebecca CantrellThe Book of Magic - Alice HoffmanWitches of New York - Ami McKayThe Echoes of Olympus Mons - Eric MalikyteCount My Lies - Sophie Stava Sources to note throughout the episode:Excelsior University: Active (Critical) vs Passive ReadingYork University: Active vs Passive ReadingCleveland State University: Critical ReadingStetson University: Critical Reading Reading Critically (Reddit)University of Regina: Passive vs Active ReadingLibrary of Congress - Rebecca Yarros InterviewExtras:HP Lovecraft Historical SocietyHP LovecraftLovecraft Country (Series)Lovecraft Country (Novel)12 Years a Slave (Movie)12 Years a Slave (Novel) The Butler (Movie)The Butler: A Witness to HistoryReading RainbowRoots

Buckle up folks, this one is a doozy! Books are being banned all across the country, and we're here to talk about it, along with a bit of a free history lesson (you're welcome). To quote our Lord and Savior Stephen King: "If they ban a book in your school, haul your ass to the nearest bookstore or library ASAP and find out what they don't want you to read."And don't mind the squirrelling. We all have ADHD around here. We're working on it. Stay tuned soon for a new website and Patreon. Don't forget you can find us @practicallybookishpodcast and thank you for hanging out!Books to check out:New English Canaan - Thomas MortonIf The Legends Fade - Tom HendrixA Touch of Darkness - Scarlett St ClairCome for Me - CJ SweetBlood of Hercules - Jasmine Mas Midnight Ruin - Katee RobertThe God of the Woods - Liz MoorePercy Jackson and the Olympians SeriesThis Book is Gay - Juno DawsonACOTAR - Sarah J MaasHer Soul To Take - Harley LarouxFifty Shades of Grey - EL JamesGrey - EL JamesTwilight - Stephanie MeyerMidnight Sun - Stephanie MeyerSix of Crows - Leigh BardugoFamine - Laura ThalassaStuffed - Silvia MorrowEric Malikyte BacklistSources to note throughout the episode:Pen.orgAmerican Library AssociationHarvard LibraryAtlas Obscura The GuardianUnite Against Book BansBarnes and NoblePBS News HourReads with RachelHistory & Extras:16 Tons - Tennessee Ernie FordWWI Treaties & Reparations - US Holocaust Memorial MuseumNazi Book Burnings - US Holocaust Memorial MuseumOld Gods of AppalachiaProject 2025 TrackerWatchmen - SeriesThe MummyThe Fifth ElementThe Contoured LibrarianMeet Me in the Media CenterTales Podcast

Can we keep politics out of books? Why are we always bringing politics into bookish spaces? We read to escape...blah blah blah...NO. Books ARE f*cking political! Join us this week for our first official episode where we discuss just how political books can be! Do we go off on a tangent or two? Maybe. We listen and we don't judge, remember?Don't forget to give us a follow @practicallybookishpodcast

I bet you're wondering who we are and why you should care. Valid. Meet the mouths behind the brains of this operation:Lisa: self published indie authorKat: avid reader and hobby writerTrula: avid reader and aspiring authorHere's a little peek into why we wanted to do this thing and what to expect from us in the future. Enjoy!P.S. follow us on socials @practicallybookishpodcast

Stay tuned for more from Practically Bookish!Follow us everywhere @practicallybookishpodcast!