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In need of a gift for your sweet Valentine? Or a rockstar Galentine friend? Maybe you're on the lookout for a Valentine's Day surprise for your child or another little one in your life? No matter who you're shopping for, we have some reads we think they'll love.

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It’s Meg Cabot’s birthday today and we’re riding the waves of nostalgia. There’s an incredible wealth of young adult novels out today, spilling off bookstore and library shelves. So it might be hard to imagine a time when voracious teen readers had to scramble to find something new. Luckily, Meg Cabot had our back, giving us The Princess Diaries series and so much more. Today, we’re celebrating everything she’s given us by showcasing some of our favorite books.

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From the classic jigsaws, crosswords, and sliders to the niche disentanglement puzzles, Rubik’s cubes, and games like Minesweeper, puzzles have been around since the dawn of humanity because people really do just enjoy solving problems. And it makes sense too as the simple idea of answering a riddle, locating all words in a word search, or decoding a cipher or rebus offers a rewarding and satisfying sense of accomplishment.

For those puzzlers out there who get psyched each January 29th (National Puzzle Day) to amp up their puzzling game or for those who simply enjoy puzzles three hundred sixty-five days a year, consider picking up one of these middle grade reads with their own puzzles, riddles, tricks, and mini mysteries. Not only do middle grade books typically allow more room for puzzles where adult and YA novels tend to limit themselves (especially in aspects like book design), but the puzzles themselves are included to be solved. There are no unguessable plot twists or undecipherable codes. These books offer playful content that are designed to engage the brain, present imaginative storytelling, and allow for a maximum sense of achievement. If that sounds like your cup of tea, get your TBR list ready for puzzling season!

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It’s the incomparable Kerry Washington’s birthday on January 31 and we are absolutely thrilled to be celebrating her on the blog. Washington has been a favorite of ours for years, starting with her iconic roles in Ray and Save the Last Dance. And while scenes from Scandal live rent-free in our brains, we loved seeing her shine the musical The Prom on Netflix alongside icon Meryl Streep. Today, we’re looking back at her literary roles. Because if there’s one thing we love more than Kerry Washington, it’s books. 

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Earlier this month was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and we spent day reflecting on his leadership and finding ways to carry on his legacy in 2021 and beyond. We continue to be inspired by the incredible activism of the Black Lives Matter movement, so today we’re highlighting some of our favorite books about the movement and racial injustice in the United States.

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We’re here to talk about when fictional opposites attract. The romcom and romance trope of enemies to lovers is – no joke – our favorite trope of all time. We love seeing people who think they hate each other realize their true feelings and actually fall in love. We really love to see it. Which is why today we’re recommending five of our favorite hate to love stories. Because if a playground prank is now a national holiday, you better believe we’re going to take the opportunity to talk about books.