Latest news with #genre
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
So You Wanna Fall In Love With A Warrior Elf? 10 BookTok Romantasy Reads That Will Ruin Your Sleep Schedule In The Best Way
If you're even mildly online, chances are you've heard whispers of the ✨ romantasy✨ genre; the magical literary genre that blends fantasy and romance together and has BookTok in a literal chokehold. Related: If you're into… ✨ Magic and slow-burn romance 🔥 Tension so thick it's practically fanfiction 🧝♂️ Broody fae men and badass heroines 📖 Plot twists that emotionally wreck you …then you're so ready to be part of the Romantasy Cult. Just make sure you hydrate. And maybe call in sick tomorrow — you're not putting these books down. 1. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout ✨ "Nothing is ever simple when the gods are watching." ✨ This is the book that launched a thousand obsessions. Poppy is a badass heroine sworn to a sacred destiny, until a smirking golden-eyed guard ruins everything. Expect: deadly secrets, enemies-to-lovers tension, and one hell of a plot twist. Perfect for fans of steamy slow-burns and morally gray men. 2. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 🧚 Beauty and the Beast meets 1000+ fan theories and wingspans. 🧚 If you're on BookTok, you know that this is just the start of everyone's romantasy journey. Feyre is a mortal huntress dragged into the fae lands, and that's just the beginning. This series has everything: epic romance, ancient curses, court politics, and "the mating bond." Once you meet Rhysand, it's over for you. (Honestly, anything written by Sarah J. Maas will become an obsession and key part of your personality...I don't make the rules. 🤷♀️) Related: 3. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 🐉 Think Hunger Games meets spicy dragon school. 🐉 If you've ever wanted to ride dragons while navigating deadly exams, secret powers, and off-limits lovers, this is your book. Violet may not be physically built like a warrior, but she's no damsel, and her enemies? Yeah, they might be her only shot at surviving. 4. The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen 🗡️ A princess assassin forced to marry the enemy king. What could go wrong? 🗡️ This one is for the "stab him, then kiss him" folks. Lara is trained to destroy the man she's forced to marry, but the longer she spends with him, the more she questions everything. Expect slow-burn, political intrigue, and intense emotional payoff. 5. Radiance by Grace Draven 👑 An arranged marriage between a human and a monstrous fae prince…with zero insta-love. 👑 This underrated gem is soft, slow, and swoony. Ildiko and Brishen aren't beautiful (or even really nice) to each first. But their respect, banter, and trust build one of the most wholesome (and still hot!) love stories in romantasy. Related: 6. Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin 🧙♀️ A witch and a witch hunter are forced to marry. Cue the chaos. 🧙♀️ Lou is chaotic and sassy; Reid is stiff and serious. Watching them clash (and then burn) is half the fun. If you like morally complex worlds with forbidden romance, magic, and cinnamon-roll-turned-problematic men, grab this. 7. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black 🖤 Welcome to Elfhame, where lies are currency and love is war. 🖤 Jude Duarte is a human raised in the cruel fae court, and she's out for power. Cardan is the arrogant, hateful prince who can't stop watching her. It's toxic. It's soooo BookTok. And it' 8. The Savage Lands series by Stacey Marie Brown 🌶️ If you like the ACOTAR vibe but grittier and steamier, this one's for you. 🌶️ It's set in a post-war world where fae rule and humans are barely surviving. Brexley (yes, icon name) is thrown into a deadly prison where survival means making alliances, especially with the dangerously beautiful fae warrior who might be her enemy…or her only shot at freedom. Related: 9. The Crowns of Nyaxia series by Carissa Broadbent 🧛♀️ Hunger Games meets vampire court meets epic love story. 🧛♀️ (Clearly, I love the Hunger Games a bit too much.) Oraya is a human adopted by the vampire god of death, and now she has to fight to survive the Kejari, a brutal tournament full of monsters, politics, and betrayal. Enter: a mysterious rival with secrets and sharp teeth. The tension? Unmatched. 10. The Married to Magic series by Elise Kova 🧝♂️ Fantasy marriage of convenience, soft cinnamon roll magic warrior elf king, and cozy romance vibes. 🧝♂️ Each book in this series is a standalone with a fresh couple and setting, but they're all connected by a magical world and super romantic plots. In A Deal With the Elf King, a human girl is taken to the fae realm as the next "Human Queen," and her icy elf king husband is not ready to fall in love…until he very much does. BONUS: If You're Craving Something Spicier… The Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy (Gilded cage, broken girl, glowing gold king. Trauma healing, but make it sexy.) Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti (Messy, magical college and enemies-to-lovers chaos.) Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco (A vengeful witch and one of the seven princes of Hell. Literally.) What other romantasy books would you add to the list? Let me know in the comments! Also in Community: Also in Community: Also in Community:
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Inside Afrobeats: Meet the host behind the 4-part series
For JJ Okonkwo, Afrobeats is more than just a genre of music — it's a part of who he is. "Afrobeats holds a special place in my heart because it echoes the rhythm of where I come from," said Okonkwo. Afrobeats is a fairly young genre of music. It gained prominence in the early 2000s, combining West African musical styles with elements of hip-hop, R&B, dancehall and other genres. Okonkwo witnessed the early rise of Afrobeats and he was immediately hooked. "What I love most about Afrobeats is its versatility. It blends with any genre while staying proudly African. The beats bring instant joy, but it's the storytelling, the proverbs, and the punchy lyrics that make it truly unique. You can never mistake Afrobeats for anything else," he said. Okonkwo grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where he was born into a family of singers and spent his childhood surrounded by music. With his father's record collection and his brother's cassette tapes at his fingertips, Okonkwo was exposed to a wide variety of music. In 2023, when Okonkwo moved to St. John's, he started listening to local radio stations to get a feel for the music scene in Canada. He found the stations were primarily playing mainstream western music with little representation from the Afrobeats genre. "I felt disconnected. It didn't reflect the multicultural reality of Canadian society. That, to me, was a gap." This gap is what inspired him to create Inside Afrobeats, a four-part audio series that explores the history and global impact of Afrobeats music. For Okonkwo, he hopes the series will not only introduce people to some great music, but also raise awareness of the genre. "The goal is to amplify the sound, the stories, and the culture behind the genre, and ensure that African voices and rhythms are part of the national conversation in music and media," said Okonkwo. All four episodes of Inside Afrobeats are available to listen to here. Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here.
CBC
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Inside Afrobeats: Meet the host behind the 4-part series
This is part a special four-part audio series co-produced JJ Okonkwo and the CBC's Katie Rowe and Amy Joy. For JJ Okonkwo, Afrobeats is more than just a genre of music — it's a part of who he is. "Afrobeats holds a special place in my heart because it echoes the rhythm of where I come from," said Okonkwo. Afrobeats is a fairly young genre of music. It gained prominence in the early 2000s, combining West African musical styles with elements of hip-hop, R&B, dancehall and other genres. Okonkwo witnessed the early rise of Afrobeats and he was immediately hooked. "What I love most about Afrobeats is its versatility. It blends with any genre while staying proudly African. The beats bring instant joy, but it's the storytelling, the proverbs, and the punchy lyrics that make it truly unique. You can never mistake Afrobeats for anything else," he said. Okonkwo grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where he was born into a family of singers and spent his childhood surrounded by music. With his father's record collection and his brother's cassette tapes at his fingertips, Okonkwo was exposed to a wide variety of music. In 2023, when Okonkwo moved to St. John's, he started listening to local radio stations to get a feel for the music scene in Canada. He found the stations were primarily playing mainstream western music with little representation from the Afrobeats genre. "I felt disconnected. It didn't reflect the multicultural reality of Canadian society. That, to me, was a gap." This gap is what inspired him to create Inside Afrobeats, a four-part audio series that explores the history and global impact of Afrobeats music. For Okonkwo, he hopes the series will not only introduce people to some great music, but also raise awareness of the genre. "The goal is to amplify the sound, the stories, and the culture behind the genre, and ensure that African voices and rhythms are part of the national conversation in music and media," said Okonkwo.
The Guardian
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Osbournes changed reality TV forever for better or worse
First and foremost, if Ozzy Osbourne is destined to be remembered for anything, it'll be his music. Few people can genuinely claim to have invented a whole new genre of something. But Osbourne, along with the other members of Black Sabbath, did exactly that. However, Ozzy Osbourne isn't destined to be remembered for just one thing. Because, for three short years two decades ago, for better or worse (and this is genuinely debatable) Ozzy Osbourne also changed television forever. That's right, it would be rude to remember Ozzy Osbourne without at least acknowledging that he is the man who gave us The Osbournes. Twenty-three years on from its debut, the premise of The Osbournes almost seems quaint. Ozzy and his family invited an MTV camera crew into his home to document the ups and downs of their day to day lives. It's a format that has long since been worn into the dust, thanks to the endless parade of thirsty nobodies who have attempted to replicate the formula for their own gain. But at the time, if you were there, you'll remember that The Osbournes was like a grenade going off. Looking back, MTV must not have been able to believe its luck that one of the world's most recognisable rockstars was willing to subject himself to the indignities of a reality show. Indeed, since recent years saw Osbourne distance himself from the series, on the basis that he was 'stoned during the entire filming', perhaps that gives some indication of his state of mind at the time of commissioning. But thank goodness he did, because The Osbournes might qualify as the closest thing that television has ever given us to a live-action Simpsons. Episodes walked a fine line between ridiculous celebrity excess (showing Ozzy on tour) and a kind of aggressively caffeinated escalation of domestic life. An argument with noisy neighbours culminates in the family lobbing ham over the garden fence. A family friend comes to stay and annoys everyone so much that they try to urinate in his drink. Everyone gets worried when the daughter gets a new boyfriend nicknamed 'cauliflower dick'. The Osbourne family couldn't be less like yours, and yet everyone could see parts of themselves in them. Of course, it helped that every member of the Osbournes was genuinely hilarious. Sharon was a fierce matriarch without a filter. Daughter Kelly was a sassy brat. Son Jack was a legitimate weirdo. And Ozzy possessed an uncanny knack for knowingly undermining his own legacy. Look at the episode where he checks out a technical rehearsal for a concert, notices a bubble blower onstage and laments: 'Come on Sharon, I'm the prince of fucking darkness.' This wit saw The Osbournes become a near-instant sensation. When it launched, it became MTV's most-watched show of all time. It won an Emmy. What's more, every single non-Ozzy member of the family (at least the ones who agreed to appear onscreen) was vaulted to fame. Kelly became a popstar, Jack a presenter and Sharon a talkshow host and reality judge. And yet Ozzy remained the centre of gravity throughout. Constantly trying his best to navigate the world, and constantly on the point of drowning, he was in many ways the most relatable member of the family. For someone who once bit the head off a bat, that's a pretty huge achievement. You don't need to be told the cultural impact of The Osbournes, because we're surrounded by it. Paris Hilton tried to mimic the formula with The Simple Life. Katie Price had a reality show. Gene Simmons had a reality show. Ice-T had a reality show. Steps had a reality show. The Kardashians became global celebrities by ripping off the Osbourne blueprint. Most recently, Jacob Rees-Mogg attempted to stage his own Osbournes-style reality show. And it was rubbish. They were all rubbish, because they all lacked the one thing that made The Osbournes special: the Osbournes. So when the dust settles, and all the tributes start to fall away, Ozzy Osbourne will leave behind an almost unparalleled legacy of music. But he also left behind a TV show where he got so angry on a beach that he started screaming personal insults at the sea, and that's OK too.
The Guardian
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Osbournes changed reality TV forever for better or worse
First and foremost, if Ozzy Osbourne is destined to be remembered for anything, it'll be his music. Few people can genuinely claim to have invented a whole new genre of something. But Osbourne, along with the other members of Black Sabbath, did exactly that. However, Ozzy Osbourne isn't destined to be remembered for just one thing. Because, for three short years two decades ago, for better or worse (and this is genuinely debatable) Ozzy Osbourne also changed television forever. That's right, it would be rude to remember Ozzy Osbourne without at least acknowledging that he is the man who gave us The Osbournes. Twenty-three years on from its debut, the premise of The Osbournes almost seems quaint. Ozzy and his family invited an MTV camera crew into his home to document the ups and downs of their day to day lives. It's a format that has long since been worn into the dust, thanks to the endless parade of thirsty nobodies who have attempted to replicate the formula for their own gain. But at the time, if you were there, you'll remember that The Osbournes was like a grenade going off. Looking back, MTV must not have been able to believe its luck that one of the world's most recognisable rockstars was willing to subject himself to the indignities of a reality show. Indeed, since recent years saw Osbourne distance himself from the series, on the basis that he was 'stoned during the entire filming', perhaps that gives some indication of his state of mind at the time of commissioning. But thank goodness he did, because The Osbournes might qualify as the closest thing that television has ever given us to a live-action Simpsons. Episodes walked a fine line between ridiculous celebrity excess (showing Ozzy on tour) and a kind of aggressively caffeinated escalation of domestic life. An argument with noisy neighbours culminates in the family lobbing ham over the garden fence. A family friend comes to stay and annoys everyone so much that they try to urinate in his drink. Everyone gets worried when the daughter gets a new boyfriend nicknamed 'cauliflower dick'. The Osbourne family couldn't be less like yours, and yet everyone could see parts of themselves in them. Of course, it helped that every member of the Osbournes was genuinely hilarious. Sharon was a fierce matriarch without a filter. Daughter Kelly was a sassy brat. Son Jack was a legitimate weirdo. And Ozzy possessed an uncanny knack for knowingly undermining his own legacy. Look at the episode where he checks out a technical rehearsal for a concert, notices a bubble blower onstage and laments: 'Come on Sharon, I'm the prince of fucking darkness.' This wit saw The Osbournes become a near-instant sensation. When it launched, it became MTV's most-watched show of all time. It won an Emmy. What's more, every single non-Ozzy member of the family (at least the ones who agreed to appear onscreen) was vaulted to fame. Kelly became a popstar, Jack a presenter and Sharon a talkshow host and reality judge. And yet Ozzy remained the centre of gravity throughout. Constantly trying his best to navigate the world, and constantly on the point of drowning, he was in many ways the most relatable member of the family. For someone who once bit the head off a bat, that's a pretty huge achievement. You don't need to be told the cultural impact of The Osbournes, because we're surrounded by it. Paris Hilton tried to mimic the formula with The Simple Life. Katie Price had a reality show. Gene Simmons had a reality show. Ice-T had a reality show. Steps had a reality show. The Kardashians became global celebrities by ripping off the Osbourne blueprint. Most recently, Jacob Rees-Mogg attempted to stage his own Osbournes-style reality show. And it was rubbish. They were all rubbish, because they all lacked the one thing that made The Osbournes special: the Osbournes. So when the dust settles, and all the tributes start to fall away, Ozzy Osbourne will leave behind an almost unparalleled legacy of music. But he also left behind a TV show where he got so angry on a beach that he started screaming personal insults at the sea, and that's OK too.
