Why Did a High Schooler Hand Her Superintendent THE HANDMAID’S TALE at Graduation?

Annabelle Jenkins, 18, did not intend for video of her graduation to go viral. She was not interested in making a scene nor in getting the kind of attention she is receiving for it. But she is using this moment to emphasize the reality teenagers like her—and thousands across the nation—are living.

If this month starts summer for you and you’re looking for some great mystery and thriller books to take with you on vacation, sit at the beach, sit in a kiddie pool, or melt on your couch, I’ve got you covered. Publishing has flooded us with all the books for armchair sleuthing and I’ve tried my best to wrangle a list together to offer readers different tropes and genres and tones within the immense genres of mystery, thriller, and true crime.

 There’s a romantasy about a retired soul devourer who now works as a barista; a house robot on the run after killing its owner so it can get out and see the world; a galaxy heist involving alien artifacts and the survival of another planet; a ghost trying to get back in touch with her old life; a steampunk story of tense train travel on the wastelands; two friends tricked (by a fox, natch) into walking through a door into a fantasy world, where they become trapped; and more!

Whether you’re a fan of dragons from folklore, mythology, childhood books, or stories you daydreamed, or if you fell down the rabbit hole of romantasy with dragons and refuse to come back to reality (smart choice!), here are some great bookish items for dragon lovers. There’s a bit of something for everyone including t-shirts with funny sayings, bookmarks so a dragon is always reading with you, a gorgeous pillow with a new dragon friend, and even a wall decal so you can have a little reading dragon as a roommate. Sorry, it can’t help pay the rent.

One time, I recommended this book to a new friend the first day I met her. I immediately regretted going so hard with someone I barely knew. What would she think of me? I was worried our friendship would be over before it even began. But then (I think?) she ended up liking it, and guess what? We’re still hanging out. So if you like this book, use it to see if your friends are really cool and can hang with you.