Books new releases All the New Young Adult SFF Books Arriving in July 2024 Visit a cursed vacation home, survive a slasher-movie summer, and join a group of subversive theater kids in this month’s new releases! By Reactor | Published on July 11, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Here’s the full list of the young adult SFF titles heading your way in July! Keep track of all the new SFF releases here. All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher. Release dates are subject to change. July 2 The Ones Who Come Back Hungry — Amelinda Bérubé (Sourcebooks Fire)After the sudden death of her perfect, popular older sister, Jo and her family feel empty. But days after crying at Audrey’s graveside, Jo stumbles on the impossible: Audrey, standing barefoot in the snowy backyard. But Audrey isn’t breathing. She’s still marred with the evidence of an autopsy. She’s decaying. And worst of all, Audrey is hungry, and only human blood can curb her relentless appetite. Jo knows she can put her family back together; she just has to figure out how to fix Audrey. She hides her sister and sustains her with her own blood, determined to figure out how to keep Audrey with them. When her search takes her to her sister’s grieving inner circle of friends, Jo finds herself drawn into their fold—and to Audrey’s boyfriend, Sam. As Jo slips further into her sister’s old life, Audrey’s hunger and jealousy grow more insatiable. She’s not going to sit back and let Jo replace her or, worse, discover the secrets hidden beneath her golden girl facade. As Jo struggles to juggle everything she will be forced to decide which of her loved ones needs her the most—and who she’s willing to sacrifice to save them. Rise — Freya Finch (Melissa de la Cruz Studio)For seventeen-year-old Bryn, being the youngest, messiest, most rebellious sister in a family of valkyries isn’t easy. Especially considering home is a Renaissance faire in Chicago full of costumed workers who see her as nothing more than a nuisance. When her mother disappears on a mission for Odin, Bryn begins having strange visions about the impending Ragnarök. Bryn senses their mother is in great danger, but her annoyingly perfect older sisters refuse to take her seriously. Their mother is, after all, captain of the valkyries. Things only take a turn for the worse when a half human, half giant named Juniper crashes the party with a violent zombie in tow, confirming Bryn’s worst fears—her visions of Ragnarök are real. If that wasn’t enough, the faire’s mysterious new addition, Wyatt the Black Knight, just so happens to have a ferocious secret that threatens everyone around him. Determined to survive Ragnarök, Bryn, Juniper, and Wyatt team up to combat the horde of monsters that keeps appearing throughout the faire. But after Bryn ignores the call to deliver Wyatt to Odin’s eternal warriors in Valhalla, choosing to save his life instead, she starts to wonder if she’ll ever get this valkyrie thing right. Whispers of divine interference—including sightings of the mischievous Loki—reach Bryn’s ears. Soon everyone at the faire becomes a suspect, leaving Bryn, her sisters, and their newfound friends the only ones who can stop the war to end all realms. Whether she’s ready or not, Bryn is about to learn how the ties between fate and choice are as interwoven and unbreakable as the bonds between sisters. A Misfortune of Lake Monsters — Nicole M. Wolverton (CamCat)Lemon Ziegler wants to escape rural Devil’s Elbow, Pennsylvania to attend college—but that’s impossible now that she’s expected to impersonate the town’s lake monster for the rest of her life. Her family has been secretly keeping the tradition of Old Lucy, the famed (and very fake) monster of Lake Lokakoma, alive for generations, all to keep the tourists coming. Without Lemon, the town dies, and she can’t disappoint her grandparents… or tell her best friends about any of it. That includes Troy Ramirez, who has been covertly in love with Lemon for years, afraid to ruin their friendship by confessing his feelings. When a very real, and very hungry monster is discovered in the lake, secrets must fall by the wayside. Determined to stop the monster, Lemon and her best friends are the only thing standing between Devil’s Elbow and the monster out for blood. Reckless (Powerless #3) — Lauren Roberts (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)After surviving the Purging Trials, Ordinary-born Paedyn Gray has killed the King and kickstarted a Resistance throughout the land. Now she’s running from the one person she had wanted to run to. Kai Azer is now Ilya’s Enforcer, loyal to his brother Kitt, the new King. He has vowed to find Paedyn and bring her to justice. Across the deadly Scorches, and deep into the hostile city of Dor, Kai pursues the one person he wishes he didn’t have to. But in a city without Elites, the balance between the hunter and hunted shifts—and the battle between duty and desire is deadly. July 9 The Darkness Within Us — Tricia Levenseller (Feiwel & Friends)Chrysantha Stathos has won. By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful air-headed girl, she has become a wealthy duchess. And, once her elderly husband dies, she will have all the freedom, money, and safety she’s ever wanted. Or so she thought. A man claiming to be the estranged grandson of Chrysantha’s lecherous late husband has turned up to steal her inheritance. To make matters worse, her little sister is going to be queen and is rubbing it in her face. Chrysantha decides that the only thing to do is upstage Alessandra at her own wedding. And as for this grandson, he has to go. Never mind that he’s extremely handsome and secretive with mysterious powers… No, Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants. A Magic Fierce and Bright — Hemant Nayak (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)Adya wants nothing more than to be left alone. Content to be loyal to no one but herself in the isolated jungles of South India, she dreams only of finding her lost sister, Priya, and making enough money to take care of their family. It’s too bad that her rare ability to wake electric machines—using the magic that wiped them out five centuries ago—also makes her a coveted political pawn. Everyone seems to believe that her technomancy can help them win the endless war for control over the magic’s supernatural source. These senseless power struggles mean little to Adya. But when her enemies dangle news of her sister before her, she’s all too quick to leap at the chance to bring Priya home—even if it means teaming up with a rakish, disreputable thief in order to do it. With the threat of invasion looming ever larger on the horizon, Adya must reconcile the kind of person she is with the kind of person she wants to be and untangle the web of intrigue, conspiracy, and deceit that threatens to take all of India down with it. July 16 Trespass Against Us — Leon Kemp (HarperTeen)Two years ago, four friends went into the abandoned religious reform school Dominic House. Only three came out. Riley still bears horrific scars from that night. He doesn’t speak to his friends anymore. And he’s haunted by the truth: Riley’s boyfriend, Ethan, didn’t disappear… Something in that house took him. Now, alongside TV’s most famous ghost hunter, Jordan Jones, Riley is returning, determined to find out what happened to Ethan. But as the night wears on, Riley realizes he isn’t just revisiting the most terrifying night of his life—he’s reliving it. And this time, whatever lives in Dominic House will make sure they all stay. Riot Act — Sarah Lariviere (Knopf Books for Young Readers)In an alternate 1991, the authoritarian US government keeps tabs on everybody and everything. It censors which books can be read, what music can be listened to, and which plays can be performed. When her best friend is killed by the authorities and her theater teacher disappears without a trace, Gigi decides to organize her fellow Champaign High School thespians to put on a production of Henry VI. But at what cost? Portrait of a Shadow — Meriam Metoui (Henry Holt & Co Books for Young Readers)Inez is missing, but missing things can always be found. Mae knows this as a fact, even though the police investigation has come to a standstill, even though her parents are moving on. But when she goes to clear out her older sister’s studio, she finds a mess of research and a white canvas that seems even older than the ornate frame it is set in. The closer Mae gets to the canvas, the more difficult it is to pull her eyes away from its mottled surface, its heavy layers of white paint, its peeling top corner she is tempted to pull to see what’s beneath. But she doesn’t. Not yet. Mae decides to trace her sister’s last steps in the hopes of finding answers, certain that Inez’s disappearance is related to the painting. And she knows she is desperate enough to let the strange boy who claims to have been Inez’s neighbor tag along. Even if his good looks don’t help distract from his avoidance of her questions. So begins a scavenger hunt piecing together what they can find from what Inez left behind. One that leads to centuries-old questions best left unasked and secrets best kept in the dark. The Second Son (Betrayal Prophecies #2) — Adrienne Tooley (Christy Ottaviano Books)The centuries-old prophecy has been fulfilled at last: the New Maiden has returned to Velle. Unfortunately, so has a malicious demi-god, whose elusive prophet is intent on converting the New Maiden’s followers. The Second Son is a vengeful, angry deity, whose psalm resonates with the disenfranchised. With Elodie on the throne and Sabine in her own unique position of power, it should be easy enough to track down the culprit. Yet even as they’re falling in love, both girls are keeping dangerous secrets from each other. While the cult of the Second Son threatens to overthrow not only the Church of the New Maiden but also Velle’s monarchy, Elodie and Sabine must navigate impossible odds to dismantle the root of his power, all while their lives hang in the balance. Grief in the Fourth Dimension — Jennifer Yu (Amulet)In life, high school classmates Caroline Davison and Kenny Zhou existed in separate universes—Caroline in one of softball practices and family dinners; Kenny in one of NASA photo books and late-night shifts at his parents’ Chinese restaurant. But after their deaths, they find themselves thrown together as roommates in a mysterious white room—one that seems to exist outside of time and space, shows them their loved ones’ lives on a large hi-def TV, and grants their wishes with a sardonic sense of humor. As Caroline and Kenny watch life continue to unfold back on Earth, they realize they can influence events through radio signals, psychic mediums, and electromagnetic interference. In their efforts to console their families, they also start to understand the tragic depth of how their lives and deaths were connected and how to help their families—and themselves—heal from the losses. July 23 So Witches We Became — Jill Baguchinsky (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)For high school senior Nell and her friends, a vacation house on a private Florida island sounds like the makings of a dream spring break. But Nell brings secrets with her—secrets that fuse with the island’s tragic history, trapping them all with a curse that surrounds the island in a toxic, vengeful mist and the surrounding waters with an unseen, devouring beast. Getting out alive means risking her friendships, her sanity, and even her own life. In order to save herself and her friends, Nell will have to face memories she’d rather leave behind, reveal the horrific truth behind the encounter that changed her life one year ago, and face the shadow that’s haunted her since childhood. Easier said than done. But when Nell’s friends reveal that they each brought secrets of their own, a solution even more dangerous than the curse begins to take shape. Reading like a YA feminist spin on Stephen King’s The Mist, So Witches We Became is a diverse, queer horror about female friendship, the emotional aftermath of surviving assault, and how to find power in the shadows of your past. Step into your witchy power or be swallowed by the curse—the choice is yours. Markless — C.G. Malburi (Levine Querido)Ruti is Markless. In a society where worth is determined by the mark on your palm and the magic it grants you, this also deems her worthless. Except she’s also a hardened survivor, a protector of the Markless… and the most powerful witch in Somanchi. With a single song, she can pray to the many gods for unimaginable powers. Dekala’s Mark is strong, a Mark fit for the future queen of Somanchi, but it’s also unstable. She knows the only solution is to be bonded, but she also knows that this would mean relinquishing control over her throne and kingdom. So when she is witness to Ruti’s power, Dekala offers the witch a deal: She can be prosecuted for her crimes… or she can help Dekala ascend to the throne, unbonded. Dekala is cold and brutal and cares only about getting her way. She is also determined, intelligent, and compassionate. Ruti is torn between wanting her to fail or to emerge victorious. But as the gods are defied, new alliances are forged, and unexpected feelings are unearthed, Ruti realizes the fate of the kingdom––and the survival of the Markless––lies in her unmarked hands. The Lost Souls of Benzaiten — Kelly Murashige (Soho Teen)“I wish to become one of those round vacuum cleaner robots.” That’s what Machi prays for at the altar of Japanese goddess Benzaiten. Ever since her two best friends decided they want nothing to do with her, Machi hasn’t been able to speak. After months of online school and a carousel of therapists, she can no longer see the point of being human. She doesn’t expect Benzaiten to hear her prayer, much less offer a different prayer on Machi’s behalf—that Machi discover the beauty of humanity, ultimately restoring her to her previous self. Benzaiten is enamored with the human world and, as she’s the goddess of love, humanity is enamored right back. Being second-best once again isn’t helping Machi move past her trauma, and with each adventure they share, Machi is reminded of everything she’s lost. It isn’t until Machi starts interacting with the souls of the dead—which tends to happen around Benzaiten—that she starts to rediscover her place among the living. Avatar, the Last Airbender: The Reckoning of Roku — Randy Ribay (Amulet)Roku never expected to be the Avatar. Even his best friend, Crown Prince Sozin of the Fire Nation, doubts the accuracy of the Fire Sages’ announcement. After all, Sozin is the strongest Firebender of their generation, while Roku struggles to grasp basic airbending principles—even after months of training under Sister Disha, his airbending master. When Sozin requests the new Avatar’s aid in preventing the Earth Kingdom from claiming a remote Fire Nation island, it doesn’t surprise Roku that Sister Disha advises him to decline. Convinced the Earth King’s aggressive expansion of territory points to a more insidious agenda, Roku steals away with the help of an irritating young Airbender named Gyatso. As the reluctant companions delve deeper into their wayward mission, they realize the fog-shrouded island harbors a secret that could lead to catastrophe in the wrong hands. Plagued by self-doubt but eager to confront the dangers ahead, Avatar Roku must learn where to place his trust and what it means to be a spirit of no nation… even if the lesson comes at a great personal cost. July 30 The Grandest Game — Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)Welcome to the Grandest Game, an annual competition run by billionaire Avery Grambs and the four infamous Hawthorne brothers, whose family fortune she inherited. Designed to give anyone a shot at fame and fortune, this year’s game requires one of seven golden tickets to enter. With millions on the line, those seven players will do whatever it takes to win. Some of the players are in it for the money. Some for power. Some for reasons all their own. Every single one of them has secrets. Amidst it all is Grayson Hawthorne, tasked with a vital role in this year’s game. But as tensions rise and the mind-bending challenges push the players to their limits—physically, mentally, and emotionally—it soon becomes clear that not everyone is playing by the rules. The Mirror of Beasts (Silver in the Bone #2) — Alexandra Bracken (Knopf Books for Young Readers)With the dream of Avalon in ruins, Tamsin and her friends are all that stands in the way of Lord Death’s plans to unleash the horrors of Anwnn on the world of the living. As the Wild Hunt carves a bloody path across continents, Tamsin is mustering allies, tracking down powerful artifacts, and traversing into new otherlands in search of a way to stop him. Legend tells of a “Mirror of Beasts,” powerful enough to trap even Lord Death in its accursed glass, but the mirror is not all that it seems. Tamsin must confront her own darkest secrets if she hopes to tap the mirror’s strength to defeat her enemies. Castle of the Cursed — Romina Garber (Wednesday)After a mysterious attack claims the lives of her parents, all Estela has left is her determination to solve the case. Suffering from survivor’s guilt so intense that she might be losing her grip on reality, she accepts an invitation to live overseas with an estranged aunt at their ancestral Spanish castle, la Sombra. Beneath its gothic façade, la Sombra harbors a trove of family secrets, and Estela begins to suspect her parents’ deaths may be linked to their past. Her investigation takes a supernatural turn when she crosses paths with a silver-eyed boy only she can see. Estela worries Sebastián is a hallucination, but he claims he’s been trapped in the castle. They grudgingly team up to find answers and as their investigation ignites, so does a romance, mistrust twined with every caress. As the mysteries pile up, it feels to Estela like everyone in the tiny town of Oscuro is lying and that whoever was behind the attack has followed her to Spain. The deeper she ventures into la Sombra’s secrets, the more certain she becomes that the suspect she’s chasing has already found her… and they’re closer than she ever realized. Our Wicked Histories — Amy Goldsmith (Delacorte)There’s something in the lake at Wren Hall. At least, that’s what the locals say. Not that Meg cares much about the rumors. When she’s asked to spend Halloween weekend at the Ireland retreat of the wealthy Wren twins, she recognizes the invitation for exactly what it is: her last, and only, chance to save her spot at Greyscott’s, the exclusive British art school she attended on scholarship until last summer. Clever, beautiful, and talented, the twins are the pride of Greyscott’s, and kindhearted Lottie Wren was once Meg’s closest friend. But not anymore. None of Meg’s old friend group have talked to her since she left school—and they especially don’t talk about the incident that resulted in her suspension. Now, Meg is willing to do whatever it takes to earn their forgiveness. But Wren Hall turns out to be far from the idyllic country manor Meg was expecting. The house is damp and drafty, the mirrors are all covered, and the weed-choked lake is at the center of legends that haunt the property to this day—a tainted legacy the estate seems unable to shake. The truth is, people aren’t the only ones who keep secrets. Places can keep them too—and Wren Hall is drowning in them. When the past bleeds into the present and ancient sins rise to the surface, Meg must ask herself how well she really knows her one-time best friends…or whether any of them will survive the weekend. Beneath These Cursed Stars — Lexi Ryan (HarperTeen)Princess Jasalyn has a secret. Armed with an enchanted ring that gives her death’s kiss, Jas has been sneaking away from the palace at night to assassinate her enemies. Shape-shifter Felicity needs a miracle. Fated to kill her magical father, she’s been using her unique ability to evade a fatal prophecy. When rumors of evil king Mordeus’s resurrection spread through the shadow court, Jasalyn decides to end him once and for all. Felicity agrees to take the form of the princess, allowing Jas to covertly hunt Mordeus—and starting Felicity on the path that could finally take her home. While Jasalyn teams up with the charming and handsome Kendrick, Felicity sets out to get closer to the Wild Fae king, Misha. Kendrick helps Jasalyn feel something other than anger for the first time in three years, and Misha makes Felicity wish for a world where she’s free to be her true self. Soon, the girls’ missions are at risk right alongside their hearts. The future of the human and fae realms hangs in the balance as fates intertwine. Between perilous tasks, grim secrets, and forbidden romances, Jasalyn and Felicity find that perhaps their stars are the most cursed of all. The Blonde Dies First — Joelle Wellington (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)Devon is always being left behind by her genius twin sister, Drew. At this point, it’s a fact of life. But Devon has one last plan before Drew leaves for college a whole year early—The Best Summer Ever. After committing to the bit a little too much, the twins and their chaotic circle of friends learn why you don’t ever mess with a Ouija board if you want to actually survive the Best Summer Ever, and soon find themselves being hunted down by… a demon? But while there’s no mistaking the creeping, venomous figure is not from around here, their method doesn’t feel very demonic at all. In fact, it’s downright human—going after them in typical slasher movie kill order. And that means Devon, the blonde, is up first and her decade-long crush, Yaya, is the Final Girl who must kill or be killed to end the cycle. Devon has never liked playing by anyone else’s rules though, not even a demon’s, and the longer this goes on, the more she feels Drew and Yaya slipping away from her even as she tries to help them all survive. Can they use their horror movie knowledge to flip the script and become the hunters instead of the hunted? Or will their best summer ever be their last? The post All the New Young Adult SFF Books Arriving in July 2024 appeared first on Reactor.

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The Grey Alien race of extra-terrestrials has become a pop-culture phenomenon that continues to capture the imagination and attention of governments, citizens and all who have ever uttered the word abduction. Since the ancient civilizations of the Mayans, Hopi Indians, Greeks, and Egyptians, aliens have always been recorded in teachings, writings, artifacts and/or paintings, and the reoccurring image that we see throughout history. Today many believe that the Grey Aliens are the race that continues to visit Earth. GREYS Height: About 3.5 – 6 feet Weight: Between 80-90 lbs Eyes: This is a prime indicator of Grey Aliens. They tend… This premium content is for PLUS+ members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read. The post What We Know About Gray Aliens From Different Sources appeared first on Anomalien.com.

There has been a lot of confusion lately about Saudi Arabia allegedly ending a 50-year-deal with the United States that tied oil sales to the U.S. dollar. While many have claimed that the deal never actually existed, financial expert Carol Roth is here to clear that up. “There was a deal put in place, but never once did I come across anything that said we have a specific expiration,” Roth tells Glenn Beck, who notes himself that if the world goes off the petrodollar, “that is the beginning of the end.” Roth explains that when the United States went off the gold standard, they created a secret delegation that went to Saudi Arabia as part of a diplomatic tour. “There was an oil embargo put in place by the Arab oil exporters. It sent the price of oil sky-high. So, the big objective was basically the U.S. didn’t want crude oil, you know, energy, which is obviously really what fuels growth around the world to become an economic weapon,” Roth explains. “They knew, 'Okay, well, now we’re off the gold standard, we’ve got this currency, wouldn’t it be great to have somebody finance our deficits?'” She continues. In exchange for economic and military support, the Saudis struck a deal with the U.S. to price oil in dollars around the world. “There was a secret piece of it, and that was that the Saudis did not want everyone to know that they had this huge treasury stockpile,” Roth says, noting that it was because they didn’t want anyone to know how “closely they were in bed with the U.S.” Now, this deal has ended. “The FED has managed to hold the dollar not stable either for the world or domestically,” Roth says. “So, it’s not like they even made the tradeoff. They just abandoned it all together.” “The big issue, if you are these countries around the world that now have everything priced in dollar, all of your major commodities, because it’s not just oil at this point,” she continues, “When you have these huge swings in the dollar, that means that threatens you as a nation, because you now may not be able to afford energy, or you may not be able to afford the food for your country.” “That’s a national security issue,” she says. “And so, countries were getting sick of that we weaponized the U.S. dollar, and at the end of the day, they’re starting to move away from it.” This is why it isn’t the Saudis who are to blame for the end of the deal. “The Saudis did not break a deal. We’ve broken the deal long ago,” Roth says. Want more from Glenn Beck?To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

A 19-year-old male reportedly was in the U.S. illegally when he was charged with the recent murder of a beloved New Orleans French Quarter tour guide. Police arrested Joshua Aviala-Bonifacio and two other males, ages 17 and 15, on July 1 in connection with the fatal shooting of 43-year-old Kristie Thibodeaux, which occurred the day before. WGNO-TV reported Wednesday that Aviala-Bonifacio — a Honduran citizen — was in the U.S. illegally.'This man should have never been in Louisiana. Enough is enough. We must close our borders and keep our communities safe!'An obituary for Thibodeaux says she was a hospitality hostess and tour guide for Crawl New Orleans and "touched many hearts and lives with her smile, her genuineness, and her loving spirit."U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said U.S. Border Patrol encountered Aviala-Bonifacio in Texas on May 11, 2019, and determined he was inadmissible, WGNO said. However, Border Patrol released Aviala-Bonifacio on an order of recognizance on May 14, 2019, WGNO reported, citing an ICE log of his movements. Police in Kenner, Louisiana, arrested Aviala-Bonifacio for theft on Oct. 6, 2023, under the alias Joshua Avila, the station said. Kenner Police on Feb. 14 arrested Aviala-Bonifacio for theft and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles and three Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office fugitive attachments, WGNO said. New Orleans Police said officers responded to a call just after 4:30 a.m. June 30 about a shooting at the intersection of Royal and St. Peter Streets, and officers found a deceased woman seated in a vehicle. The Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office on July 2 identified the victim as 43-year-old Kristie Thibodeaux and determined she was fatally shot, police said. Police identified three suspects — Aviala-Bonifacio and the two juvenile males — and arrested them on one count each of second-degree murder and attempted armed robbery; detectives determined the homicide occurred during an attempted armed robbery, police said. Enforcement and Removal Operations on Monday placed Aviala-Bonifacio in the Orleans Parish Justice Center, the station said. Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday posted the following on X in regard to Aviala-Bonifacio: "This man should have never been in Louisiana. Enough is enough. We must close our borders and keep our communities safe!" WGNO said the 15-year-old suspect allegedly was under supervision with an electronic ankle monitoring device, and New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams told the station, "This is a major problem, as a young defendant under court supervision and electronic monitoring should not have been able to roam freely about the city at any hour without some form of court action or notice to law enforcement." WGNO added that Louisiana State Attorney General Liz Murrill asked, “Where are the parents of these boys? They need to be held accountable, too. While I am working to help keep New Orleans safe, this is just another prime example of the dysfunction we are dealing with." The Orleans Parish Public Defender's office is representing the three suspects and declined to comment on the pending case in line with agency policy, the Advocate reported. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Alec Baldwin's defense team said that even if he did pull the trigger on the set of "Rust," he wouldn't be guilty of homicide.Baldwin's team has been adamant throughout court proceedings he did not pull the trigger when the gun went off, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western movie.However, the 66-year-old's defense attorney Alex Spiro said in his opening statement for Baldwin's manslaughter trial that Baldwin may be wrong and may have pulled the trigger. This was the first time that the team alluded to this as a possibility, reports show. Spiro also argued though that this fact would still not make Baldwin criminally negligent."On a movie set, you're allowed to pull the trigger," Spiro said, per Variety. "Even if he intentionally pulled the trigger ... that doesn't make him guilty of homicide."Baldwin himself has previously denied ever pulling the trigger, claiming instead that the gun malfunctioned. 'If he did, of course, that would only make his statement incorrect.'As Blaze News reported, the FBI claimed it was not possible for the gun to fire without the trigger pull, but the agency was blamed by Baldwin's defense for breaking the gun during its testing. An FBI examiner hit the gun with a mallet to see if it would accidentally fire from the force and broke three components of the gun.Lucien Haag, a firearms expert who examined the Colt .45 used by Baldwin, testified that the gun was indeed working properly before the FBI analyzed it. Haag also testified that the live rounds used on the set of "Rust" were "hand loaded," meaning they were made by an individual rather than a manufacturer.The latter was integral in the trial of Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film's armorer. She was convicted of involuntary manslaughter but acquitted of a lesser charge of tampering with evidence. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison.David Halls, the first assistant director on "Rust," pled no contest to negligent use of a deadly weapon and has been sentenced to probation.The prosecution reportedly intends to attempt to prove Baldwin did pull the trigger, stating that numerous firearm experts will testify that the gun was working properly when Baldwin allegedly fired it. Baldwin's defense argued, however, that the owner's manual of that particular model of gun — Colt .45 pistol — states that the gun can go off if the hammer is dropped on a live primer. At the same time, attorney Spiro also reportedly urged jurors to acquit Baldwin even if it is found that he did pull the trigger."If he did, of course, that would only make his statement incorrect," the lawyer said. "That would mean he would have misspoke."Even if he did misspeak, Spiro continued, it still wasn't Baldwin's fault that a real bullet was loaded into the gun."When this issue [is] discussed, it's easy to sort of pull yourself into courtroom-land and away from a movie set," the attorney theorized. "[Baldwin] did not know, or have any reason to know, that the gun was loaded with a live bullet. That's the key. That live bullet is the key. That is the lethal element."The prosecution is bringing in gun manufacturer Alessandro Pietta from Italy to inform jurors about quality-control measures. Pietta's company made the gun in question, according to the Sante Fe New Mexican.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Former President Barack Obama reportedly did not stop Hollywood icon George Clooney from going public with his call for President Joe Biden to step aside as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.On Wednesday, Clooney published a candid essay in the New York Times urging Biden to step aside, a decision Clooney said is necessary to "save democracy."'The Biden campaign and many Democratic officials do believe that Barack Obama is quietly working behind the scenes to orchestrate this.'"It's devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe 'big F-ing deal' Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate," Clooney wrote.It's big news that Clooney — a major Democratic Party donor — wants Biden to stand down. But it's even bigger news that Obama reportedly did not stop Clooney from going public with his concerns.According to Politico's Playbook, Clooney reached out to Obama to give him a "heads-up" that he wanted to share his concerns about Biden and his belief that Democrats are better off if Biden steps aside.Obama could have asked Clooney to remain silent — but that's not the path he chose."While Obama did not encourage or advise Clooney to say what he said, he also didn’t object to it, we’re told from people familiar with their exchange," Politico reported."The lack of pushback is an eye-popping revelation," Politico explained, because Obama is one of Biden's chief defenders — at least in public. Obama even defended Biden after his disastrous debate performance last month, advancing the White House talking point that Biden simply experienced a "bad night."Clooney's essay — and Obama's apparent decision not to intervene — is yet more evidence of deep cracks within the Democratic Party's ranks.Not only are an increasing number of rank-and-file Democrats calling on Biden to step aside, but now even Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), one of the party's most influential leaders, is breaking away from Biden.Sources told Politico that, privately, Pelosi has said she doesn't think Biden can defeat Donald Trump on Election Day. Moreover, Pelosi is reportedly encouraging Democrats in swing districts to do what they believe will best secure their chances at re-election, even if it means publicly opposing Biden's candidacy. The fear is that Biden's liabilities will hurt down-ballot Democrats, blocking them from re-taking the House majority. — (@) For his part, Biden told Democrats this week that he is committed to running for re-election."I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Trump," Biden told congressional Democrats in a letter.Meanwhile, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, a close friend of Biden, claimed Thursday that Obama's decision not to intervene is consistent with what he is allegedly doing behind the scenes."The Biden campaign and many Democratic officials do believe that Barack Obama is quietly working behind the scenes to orchestrate this," Scarborough said.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday with all present Republicans voting in favor of it. Only five Democrats supported the bill, with 198 Democrats voting against it.The bill was crafted to take further steps to ensure that only U.S. citizens are able to vote in elections. The SAVE Act's sponsor, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), said the bill is necessary to safeguard elections in the face of the three-years border crisis, which was triggered by President Joe Biden's administration.The SAVE Act now goes to the Senate, where its passage is not a guarantee because of the Democrats' razor-thin majority. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) will be offering unanimous consent this afternoon and will be addressing the White House's opposition to the bill.Democrats baselessly said the bill is similar to Jim Crow laws.Unanimous consent in the Senate means an agreement on any question or matter that sets aside a rule of procedure to expedite proceedings. If any senator objects to it, the offer is blocked. Lee's office is expecting Democrats to voice opposition to it. In response, Lee is considering ways to attach the SAVE Act to the next “must pass” funding bill available. — (@) Unlike in the House, only a few purple-state Democrats, particularly in a border state like Arizona, would be needed to defect from the expected majority of Democrats voting against the bill for it to pass the upper chamber.The Biden administration previously explained its reasoning for opposing the SAVE Act."The alleged justification for this bill is based on easily disproven falsehoods. ... This bill would do nothing to safeguard our elections, but it would make it much harder for all eligible Americans to register to vote and increase the risk that eligible voters are purged from voter rolls. The evidence is clear that the current laws to prevent noncitizen voting are working as intended — it is extraordinarily rare for noncitizens to break the law by voting in federal elections," the statement said.When the House hosted the floor debate over it, Democrats baselessly said the bill is similar to Jim Crow laws and is a "xenophobic attack" on immigrants.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Biden administration’s coddling of far-left demonstrators has, however unwittingly, aided a hostile foreign power.

'Ad Cartels' Openly Targeting Right-Leaning Media Better Buckle UP Because Elon Musk Is Coming FOR Them