Riot Headline Book Riot’s 2025 Read Harder Challenge

Teresa Preston

Since 2008, Teresa Preston has been blogging about all the books she reads at Shelf Love. She supports her book habit by working as a magazine editor at a professional association in the Washington, DC, area, which is (in)conveniently located just a few steps from a used bookstore. When she’s not reading or editing, she’s likely to be attending theatre, practicing yoga, watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer again, or doting on her toothless orange cat, Anya. Twitter: @teresareads

“The Time That Is Given Us”: Gathering Strength from Lord of the Rings

Many of us are facing a problem we wish hadn't happened in our time. And now we have to decide what to do with the time that is given us.

Reading Pathways: Ruth Rendell

Ruth Rendell was one of the most prolific crime writers of the 20th century. So where should a reader start with her vast catalog?

Shakespeare Adaptations We’d Love to See

Shakespeare's plays are always ripe for reimagining. But what writers could do it best? Rioters share their picks.

In Which a Semi-Janeite Attends a Jane Austen Con

The Jane Austen Society of North America's Annual General Meeting is a little bit academic conference and a little bit fan con.

A Tribute to Curtis Hanson

Curtis Hanson, who died this week, co-wrote and directed one of the greatest literary film adaptations, L.A. Confidential.

The Pros and Cons of Literary Prizes

One Rioter talks about the pros and cons of literary prizes.

What the Great British Bake Off Taught Me About Judging Books

When it comes to books, are you a Paul Hollywood or a Mary Berry?

Cool Bookish Places: The Rabbit and Dragonfly

If you're even in Lancaster, PA, don't miss this coffee shop/pub/used bookstore inspired by the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and the Inklings

100 Must-Read Plays Not by Shakespeare

From wacky comedy to gut-wrenching drama, from ancient Greece to modern America, there's something for everyone in this list of 100 great plays.

Does Reading Literary Fiction Make You a Better Person? I’m Skeptical

A recent study claims that readers of literary fiction are more empathetic than readers of genre fiction are. This lit fic fan is skeptical.