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Are you a fan of chocolatey sweetness? Do you prefer a bit of bitter to level out a sugary treat? Well then, January 10th, Bittersweet Chocolate Day, is the day for you. But what about those other bittersweet fans whose cravings lean away from chocolate bars and toward books that leave them lying in their beds, staring at their ceilings until 3am? Those who enjoy stories that manage to pull a tear or two out of them on public transport or have them closing the book only to hold it, a bit stunned, as they wrap their head around their feelings, reorient themselves, and wonder what could possibly come next.

This one’s for those bittersweet book fans out there, looking for a good cry, a sincere smile, and their next read to leave them feeling that satisfying aftertaste of hope and sadness, happiness and dread, bitter and sweet.

Before you grab a handful of bittersweet chocolate chips and dive into these recs, note there will be SPOILERS AHEAD. As the title suggests, this roundup focuses on the book endings, and can ruin your individual experience with the story by having the endings spoiled. Proceed with caution.

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True amnesia may be relatively rare in real life, but in fiction, it’s a phenomenal device that allows readers to be pulled along with the most basic mystery of all: who am I? From characters who wake up in a hospital bed with no knowledge of who they are, to those piecing together alcohol-induced blackouts, to those with more nefarious or sci-fi reasons for their memory gaps, amnesia can make for a first-rate read.

Other than the really famous examples of memory loss (Fight Club, The Bourne Identity, etc.), which are the best reads for fans who want to watch a character unravel their own lives and selves? Or to imagine what it would be like to see ourselves from the outside, not knowing who we are? These books are a good place to start.

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When the end credits of a movie roll, it’s easy to walk out of the theater, exit the streaming service or app, or eject the blu-ray/DVD. It’s rare for viewers to sit through end credits or even take note of the names in the earlier part of the film, but in recent years there’s been a trend with including entertaining credits, especially end ones, to keep audiences occupied. This is most relevant in big-budget movies like the MCU films (no wonder, as audiences are expected to sit through the credits for a final after credits scene) and animated films that utilize the credits to play around with the movie’s art style, and kudos for them. These credits are a small step towards casual viewers noting the names of all the people who have contributed their time, skills, and efforts to the making of the movie.

January 5th is National Screenwriters Day, created to celebrate and honor the work of all the screenwriters who can get left in the shadows of the directors. Yes, the director is obviously an important and major figure in bringing a film to life, but those who script the film are just as crucial in the movie making process. This list is for all those aspiring screenwriters and other filmmakers, from editors to camera operators to producers, who have big plans for the future and the now. May these middle grade reads inspire you to pursue your dreams and continue creating movies that make you happy.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Another year is here, and for once, social media seems to have less of the usual resolutions and New Year, New Me posts. Perhaps 2020 has left everyone just a little unsure of what 2021 will bring, and a little apprehensive about the big plans that would usually be the theme each January.

However, no matter the unsurety of the new year, or the lack of big parties to celebrate, there’s still space to create something new and to make plans to better ourselves, even in smaller, more lockdown-friendly ways. Personal growth and introspection has become a theme, and with these reads, you’ll be able to carry that forward (and leave the rest of the year behind), and make 2021 an incredible year—no matter what that ends up looking like!

Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán from Pexels

The year is almost over, and 2020 has been, well, a doozy. While we're choosing to look ahead and plan our reading lists for the new year, we want to take a moment to look back at some memorable books from recent years—with a twist. Check out these emoji covers designed by Molly Murphy, Quirk designer extraordinaire!

[Header image by Oliver Hale on Unsplash]

December 29th is Tick Tock Day, and no that doesn’t mean it is time to look at short videos all day. As the year winds to its inevitable end and we can at last say goodbye to the seemingly endless 2020, it is time to consider the things that have been yet to be done this year. As the clock ticks ever onward all around the world, we at Quirk wanted to take a look at some of the greatest clocks in popular culture as a reminder of the hours spent cooped up at home watching TV and reading books this year.