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Image from The Game Awards site.

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Game nerds across the globe gather together each December to watch the Game Awards recognize the skills and talents of developers, performers, athletes, teams, coaches, hosts, and more for their outstanding contributions to the gaming community in the past year. Last year’s Game Awards has come and gone, announcing over 20 winners across 30 categories from Best Score and Music to Content Creator of the Year to Best Community Support.

Gamers understand the power of gaming and know that the stories, music, art, and direction can immerse players in other worlds, introduce them to new people and characters, and change their lives for the better, just as readers know this of their favorite books. Whether you research the Game Awards to compile a list of titles to try in the new year or you watch on the edge of your seat, fingers cross for your favorite game, give these book recommendations a look! It could help you decide whether a game has the story for you, or you could find your next best read based on your favorite Game Awards winner.

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It’s National Cheese Lover’s Day, the holiest of holidays on the entire calendar. We’re joking, of course. But considering how much we write about cheese, it’s a wonder we’re even keeping Quirk Books HQ open today. To celebrate this tremendous (and ultimately very silly) day, here are some of our favorite books about cheese – and cheese lovers.

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

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We’re one day away from the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. And what better way to celebrate than to read some of our favorite books about U.S. politics and activism? “Hail to the Chief” never sounded so good.

Image by Mohamed Chermiti from Pixabay

In literature, authors love to create flame-headed heroines, using this beautiful shade to suggest characters who are independent, different, fierce, and firey. From Pippi Longstocking to Ariel from The Little Mermaid, redheads in children's books are spunky and free-spirited, but in more adult fiction, red hair usually comes with a side helping of passion (because of course, anyone with flame-colored tresses must be afire with emotion, too!).

So for Kiss A Ginger Day, an annual celebration that sees redheads the world over celebrated (and dodging any unwanted smooches!), we’ve pulled together some of the best redheads in romance…whether you are looking for a YA love triangle with a supernatural twist, some superhero adventures, or a classic tale of star crossed lovers.

[Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash]

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.

[Photo by Susan Yin on Unsplash]

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.