By Sophia-Joelle McDowell
Art by Kelcie McKenney
This past year was full of Taylor Swift references and great movies like Barbie. 2023 also brought plenty of new and enjoyable reads. Whether you’re a lover of romance, thrillers, smut, nonfiction, or really any other genre, we’ve got you covered!
We know, we know…your TBR is already packed full, but there’s always room for one or five more, right? Here are some new releases hitting bookstore and library shelves near you in 2024!
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By Bella Rainey
Writing about your own book is always a humbling experience, and it is also required when you write a book.
Hey friends, my name is Bella Rainey. You may recognize me from KCtoday, but if not, it’s so nice to meet you. Outside of writing for KCtoday (or here for Catcall), I have a tendency to basically never stop writing. Whether it is a notes app entry or a full novel, I seem to never run out of words to say.
That brings me to the aforementioned novel. Let’s rewind the tapes.
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By Sophia-Joelle McDowell
Photos by Whitney Young
Jaspreet Kaur’s love for poetry began at age 13. Now, at age 42, she uses her own pen and her voice to display her passion for social justice.
This was her therapy. “In 2015, I finally plucked up the courage to share my poetry with the world, and my journey as ‘Behind the Netra’ began,” Kaur explained. “Since then, I’ve been using the power of poetry for social, political, and cultural change, specifically on gender discrimination, mental health stigma, and the postcolonial immigrant experience, performing on stages across the UK.”
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By Nicole Mitchell
I’m tired. In fact, I’ve been tired for years, and I’m not alone. When I ask my friends how they’re doing, most of them say they’re exhausted. How could we not be? We’re 20-somethings who work multiple jobs, lack a set sleep schedule, are in school, and more.
While fatigue can be a sign of physical illnesses, including thyroid issues or anemia, it could also be a sign of burnout. According to CNBC, 53% of women in the U.S. are burnt out and experiencing fatigue, brain fog, and chronic stress, since the pandemic hit.
One of the root causes of burnout is lack of fairness—something women are far too familiar with. Mothers typically take over most of the childcare and housework, working women have to work harder for their voices to be heard in the workplace, and high school girls are being discriminated against by their school’s handbook policies, to name a few. Being a woman is unfair in itself.
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By Emily Park
A year ago, I rediscovered my love for books. Since then, I have devoured over 20,000 pages of memoirs, fantasies, contemporary fictions and romances, and historical fictions.
Last month, I decided I would turn my reading obsession into something tangible. So, I started sharing some of the Badass Babes I’ve met between the pages.
In the first installment of Badass Literary Babes, I started with the very first two characters I met when I started reading again. I thought I would continue along this timeline, but my hunger has only grown in the last month.
I finish an average of two books a week, and I have a to-be-read list of over 320 books. If I continue going down the line in order of the books I have read, I don’t think I will ever catch up, and I’m scared I’ll forget just how badass these babes are. So, I’m going to switch it up and share Badass Babes from an older favorite and a recent favorite read.
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