Leah Rachel von Essen

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

Black-Owned Bookish Etsy Shops for You to Support

From T-shirts honoring bell hooks to cute washi tape and bookmarks, these bookish items will make nice treats for yourself and friends this month.

Has TikTok Ruined Reading?

Has TikTok ruined reading by making it shallow and commercial, or is it inspiring a new generation of passionate readers? Let's explore.

20 of the Best Fantasy Books of 2023

Catch up with all the best fantasy books from 2023, from dark gory horror to magical realism to rich Chinese historical fantasy.

The Best Bookstores and Libraries to Follow on TikTok

Connect with book lovers all over the world by following 17 of the best bookstores and libraries on TikTok.

Why My Resolution is to Read Less in 2024

I'm not just lowering my reading goal in 2024 — I'm actively planning to read less this upcoming year. Here's why.

Absolutely Extra Gift Ideas for Book Lovers

Wow your favorite book lover this holiday season and sweep them off their feet with these seven absolutely extra bookish gift ideas.

Dive into these 11 Palestinian Fiction Recommendations

These books about queerness, displacement, loss, and violence are must-read, rich novels and short story collections.

9 Epic Sci-Fi Books Set On Generation Ships

A spaceship full of humans is off to find a new habitable planet — and to no one's shock, something is going to go horribly wrong.

What are the Friends of the Library and How Can You Get Involved?

Learn about all the amazing work Friends of the Library do across the US, how you can support them, and how the groups first got started.

Why Does Reading to Ambient Sound Make Reading Better?

I read better and remember stories longer when my reading is accompanied by white noise — whether it's rain or ocean noises. But why?