By day, Leah Rachel von Essen is the editor-in-chief of Chicago Booth Magazine at the University of Chicago. By night, she reviews genre-bending fiction for Booklist, and writes regularly as a senior contributor at Book Riot. Her blog While Reading and Walking has over 10,000 dedicated followers over several social media outlets, including Instagram. She writes passionately about books in translation, chronic illness and bias in healthcare, queer books, twisty SFF, and magical realism and folklore. She was one of a select few bookstagrammers named to NewCity’s Chicago Lit50 in 2022. She is an avid traveler, a passionate fan of women’s basketball and soccer, and a lifelong learner. Twitter: @reading_while
Inspired by history lessons and her character growth in GAME OF THRONES, I am officially endorsing Sansa Stark, Lady of Winterfell, for the Iron Throne.
Why books that begin by giving away the ending deserve their due, and why they give us a glimpse into what actually matters about storytelling.
The dislike of YA made up of texts, emails, and instant messaging was rooted in a classic backlash against anything that young women find their voices in.
Rioters share the best comics they read in November because who doesn't want more comics to read?!
"I think it says a lot about Goldman, and the man and writer he was, that he never let the magic die, never let it fall."
Seven years after the publication of her hit THE NIGHT CIRCUS, Erin Morgenstern's fantasy THE STARLESS SEA will be released in late 2019.
From Belarus to Bosnia to Bulgaria to Croatia and more, there's a wealth of Slavic literature out there. And here are some must-reads to check out.