Book Recommendations new releases All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in April! Meet dead gods‚ eccentric aristocrats‚ vampire hunters‚ and more in this month’s new fantasy titles By Reactor | Published on April 1‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Here’s the full list of the fantasy titles heading your way in April! 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. April 1 The Monstrous Misses Mai — Van Hoang (47North)Los Angeles brims with opportunity in 1959—though not for aspiring fashion designer Cordelia Mai Yin‚ the first-generation child of Vietnamese immigrants‚ who finds the city unkind to outsiders and as dispirited as her own family. When Cordi rents a cheap loft in an old apartment building‚ she quickly warms to kindred souls Tessa‚ Audrey‚ and Silly. They also want better things and have pasts they’d rather forget. That they all share the same middle name makes their friendship seem like destiny. As supportive as they are of each other‚ it’s a struggle just to eke out a living‚ let alone hope to see their wishes for success come true. Until an ever-present and uncannily charming acquaintance of the landlord’s offers a solution to their problems. He promises to fulfill their every dream. All it takes is a little magic. And a small sacrifice. As one surprisingly effective spell leads to another‚ their wishes get bigger. But so does the price they must pay. Amid the damaged seams of her life so far‚ Cordi must realize her own power in order to rip free‚ without losing everything she’s worked so hard to achieve. April 2 Play of Shadows — Sebastien de Castell (Mobius)Damelas Chademantaigne picked a poor night to flee a judicial duel. He has precious little hope of escaping the wrath of the Vixen‚ the most feared duellist in the entire city‚ until he stumbles through the stage doors of the magnificent Operato Belleza and tricks his way into the company of actors. An archaic law provides a temporary respite from his troubles – until one night a ghostly voice in his head causes Damelas to fumble his lines‚ inadvertently blurting out a dreadful truth: the city’s most legendary hero may actually be a traitor and a brutal murderer. With only the help of his boisterous and lusty friend Bereto‚ a beautiful assassin whose target may well be Damelas himself‚ and a company of misfit actors who’d just as soon see him dead‚ this failed grandson of two Greatcoats must somehow find within himself the courage to dig up long-buried truths before a ruthless band of bravos known as the Iron Orchids come for his head. Oh‚ and there’s still that matter of the Vixen waiting to duel him. Court of Wanderers (Silver Under Nightfall #2) — Rin Chupeco (Saga)Remy Pendergast‚ vampire hunter‚ and his unexpected companions‚ royal vampires Lord Zidan Malekh and Lady Xiaodan Song‚ are on the road through the kingdom of Aluria again after a hard-won first battle against the formidable Night Empress‚ who threatens to undo a fragile peace between humans and vampires. Xiaodan‚ severely injured‚ has lost her powers to vanquish the enemy’s new superbreed of vampire‚ but if the trio can make it to Fata Morgana‚ the seat of Malehk’s court—dubbed “the Court of Wanderers”—there is hope of nursing her and bringing them back. En-route to the Third Court‚ Remy crosses paths with his father‚ the arrogant‚ oftentimes cruel Lord of Valenbonne. He also begins to suffer strange dreams of the Night Empress‚ whom he has long suspected to be Ligaya Pendergast‚ his own mother. As his family history unfolds during these episodes‚ which are too realistic to be coincidence‚ he realizes that she is no ordinary vampire—and that he may end up having to choose between the respective legacies of his parents. Posing as Malek and Xiaodan’s human familiar‚ Remy contends with Aluria’s intimidating vampire courts and a series of gruesome murders with their help—and more‚ as the three navigate their relationship. But those feelings and even their extraordinary collective strength will be put to the test as each of them unleashes new powers in combat at what may be prove to be the ultimate cost. Dragon Rider — Taran Matharu (Harper Voyager)Jai lives as a royal hostage in the Sabine Court—ever since his father Rohan‚ leader of the Steppefolk‚ led a failed rebellion and was executed by the very emperor Jai now serves. When the emperor’s son and heir is betrothed to Princess Erica of the neighboring Dansk Kingdom‚ she brings with her a dowry: dragons. Endemic to the northern nation‚ these powerful beasts come in several forms‚ but mystery surrounds them. Only Dansk royalty know the secret to soulbonding with these dangerous beasts to draw on their power and strength. This marriage—and the alliance that forms—will change that forever. But conspirators lurk in the shadows‚ and soon the Sabine Court is in chaos. With his life in danger‚ Jai uses the opportunity to escape with the Dansk handmaiden‚ Frida‚ and a stolen hatchling. Hunted at every turn‚ he must learn to cultivate magic and become a soulbound warrior if he has any chance of finding safety‚ seizing his destiny…and seeking his revenge. Someone You Can Build a Nest In — John Wiswell (DAW)Shesheshen has made a mistake fatal to all monsters: she’s fallen in love. Shesheshen is a shapeshifter‚ who happily resides as an amorphous lump at the bottom of a ruined manor. When her rest is interrupted by hunters intent on murdering her‚ she constructs a body from the remains of past meals: a metal chain for a backbone‚ borrowed bones for limbs‚ and a bear trap as an extra mouth.   However‚ the hunters chase Shesheshen out of her home and off a cliff. Badly hurt‚ she’s found and nursed back to health by Homily‚ a warm-hearted human‚ who has mistaken Shesheshen as a fellow human. Homily is kind and nurturing and would make an excellent co-parent: an ideal place to lay Shesheshen’s eggs so their young could devour Homily from the inside out. But as they grow close‚ she realizes humans don’t think about love that way. Shesheshen hates keeping her identity secret from Homily‚ but just as she’s about to confess‚ Homily reveals why she’s in the area: she’s hunting a shapeshifting monster that supposedly cursed her family. Has Shesheshen seen it anywhere? Eating her girlfriend isn’t an option. Shesheshen didn’t curse anyone‚ but to give herself and Homily a chance at happiness‚ she has to figure out why Homily’s twisted family thinks she did. As the hunt for the monster becomes increasingly deadly‚ Shesheshen must unearth the truth quickly‚ or soon both of their lives will be at risk. And the bigger challenge remains: surviving her toxic in-laws long enough to learn to build a life with‚ rather than in‚ the love of her life. April 9 The Familiar — Leigh Bardugo (Flatiron)In a shabby house‚ on a shabby street‚ in the new capital of Madrid‚ Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles‚ she demands Luzia use those gifts to improve the family’s social position. What begins as simple amusement for the nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez‚ the disgraced secretary to Spain’s king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada‚ the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England’s heretic queen―and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king’s favor. Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes‚ Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists‚ holy men and hucksters‚ where the lines between magic‚ science‚ and fraud are never certain. But as her notoriety grows‚ so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition’s wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive―even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santángel‚ an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both. Lyorn (A Vlad Taltos Novel) — Steven Brust (Tor Books)Vlad Taltos is on the run. Again. This time from one of the most powerful forces in his world‚ the Left Hand‚ who are intent on ending his very lucrative career. Permanently. He finds a hidey-hole in a theatre where the players are putting on a show that was banned centuries ago… and is trying to be shut down by the House that once literally killed to keep it from being played. Vlad will take on a number of roles to save his own skin. And the skins of those he loves. And along the way‚ he might find a part that was tailor-made for him. One that he might not want…but was always his destiny. Forge of the High Mage (A Novel of the Malazan Empire) — Ian C. Esslemont (Tor Books)After decades of warfare‚ Malazan forces are poised to consolidate the Quon Tali mainland. Yet it is at this moment that Emperor Kellanved orders a new‚ some believe foolhardy campaign: the invasion of Falar that lies far to the north… And to fight on this new front‚ a rag-tag army raised from orphaned units and broken squads is been brought together under Fist Dujek‚ and joined by a similarly motley fleet under the command of the Emperor himself. So the Malazans head north‚ only to encounter an unlooked-for and most unwelcome threat. Something unspeakable and born of legend has awoken and will destroy all who stand in its way. Most appalled by this is the Empire’s untested High Mage‚ Tayschrenn. All too aware of the true nature of this ancient horror‚ he fears his own inadequacies when the time comes to confront it. Yet confront it he must. Falar itself is far from defenseless. Its priests possess a weapon rumored to be a gift from the sea god‚ Mael—a weapon so terrifying it has not been unleashed for centuries. But two can play at that game‚ for the Emperor’s flagship is also believed to be not entirely of this world. These are turbulent‚ treacherous and bloody times for all caught up in the forging of an Empire and so‚ amongst the Ice Wastes and in the archipelago of Falar‚ the Malazans must face two seemingly insurmountable tests‚ each one potentially the origin of their destruction. Wicked Problems (The Craft Wars #2) — Max Gladstone (Tordotcom Publishing)A deadly force has been unleashed into the world. With apocalypse on the horizon‚ a girl and a god have joined in order to turn back the coming end. Young‚ brash‚ and desperate‚ they are willing to destroy anything and everything that stands between them and their goals. The structures of the Craft are theirs to overturn‚ with billions of lives in the balance. And it is all Tara Abernathy’s fault. The battle for the world of the Craft is heating up. A dead god will rise. A mountain will fall. Ancient fire will be stolen. And while Tara races to stop Dawn’s plans‚ the end draws ever closer‚ skittering across the stars to swallow the world. The Craft Wars enter their second stage in Wicked Problems. The Last Phi Hunter — Salinee Goldenberg (Angry Robot)Ex‚ the youngest member of the Phi Hunters Order‚ has spent his life slaying the ghosts and demons of Suyoram Kingdom. While he takes great pride in his mystical trade‚ collecting dwindling bounties and peddling butchered spirit organs lacks the glory he craves. He’s determined to hunt down Shar-Ala‚ a demon of nightmares‚ of madness—who has eluded even Ex’s masters. In a provincial village along the way‚ Arinya‚ a charming muay-boran champion‚ manages to save Ex him from a brutal ass-kicking‚ despite being nine months pregnant. In return‚ she asks him to escort her through the dangerous‚ spirit-filled forest‚ where ghosts salivate over the scent of the unborn. Feeling responsible for Arinya’s safety‚ Ex vows to help her return home. But as more of Arinya’s secrets emerge‚ and the elusive demon nears‚ Ex must face dangers from both men and monsters‚ or lose not only the respect and sanctuary of his guild‚ but also the woman he’s trying not to fall in love with. The Book That Broke the World (The Library Trilogy #2) — Mark Lawrence (ACE)The Library spans worlds and times. It touches and joins distant places. It is memory and future. And amid its vastness Evar Eventari both found‚ and lost‚ Livira Page. Evar has been forced to flee the library‚ driven before an implacable foe. Livira‚ trapped in a ghost world‚ has to recover the book she wrote—one which is the only true threat to the library’s existence—if she’s to return to her life. While Evar’s journey leads him outside into a world he’s never seen‚ Livira’s path will taker her deep inside her own writing‚ where she must wrestle with her stories in order to reclaim the volume in which they were written.  The secret war that defines the library has chosen its champions and set them on the board. The time has come when they must fight for what they believe‚ or lose everything. The Hemlock Queen (The Nightshade Crown #2) — Hannah Whitten (Orbit)The corrupt king August is dead. Prince Bastian has seized the throne and raised Lore—a necromancer and former smuggler—to his right-hand side. Together they plan to cut out the rot from the heart of the royal court and help the people of Dellaire. But not everyone is happy with the changes. The nobles are sowing dissent‚ the Kirythean Empire is beating down their door‚ and Lore’s old allies are pulling away. Even Prince Bastian has changed. No longer the hopeful‚ rakish‚ charismatic man Lore knows and loves‚ instead he’s become reckless‚ domineering‚ and cold. And something has been whispering in her ear. A voice‚ dark and haunting‚ that’s telling her there’s more to the story than she knows and more to her power than she can even imagine. A truth buried deep that could change everything. With Bastian’s coronation fast approaching and enemies whispering on all sides‚ Lore must figure out how to protect herself‚ her prince‚ and her country before they all come crumbling down and whatever dark power has been creeping through the catacombs is unleashed. April 16 To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods — Molly X. Chang (Del Rey)Heroes die‚ cowards live. Daughter of a conquered world‚ Ruying hates the invaders who descended from the heavens long before she was born and defeated the magic of her people with technologies unlike anything her world had ever seen. Blessed by Death‚ born with the ability to pull the life right out of mortal bodies‚ Ruying shouldn’t have to fear these foreign invaders‚ but she does. Especially because she wants to keep herself and her family safe. When Ruying’s Gift is discovered by an enemy prince‚ he offers her an impossible deal: If she becomes his private assassin and eliminates his political rivals—whose deaths he swears would be for the good of both their worlds and would protect her people from further brutalization—her family will never starve or suffer harm again. But to accept this bargain‚ she must use the powers she has always feared‚ powers that will shave years off her own existence. Can Ruying trust this prince‚ whose promises of a better world make her heart ache and whose smiles make her pulse beat faster? Are the evils of this agreement really in the service of a much greater good? Or will she betray her entire nation by protecting those she loves the most? The Jinn Daughter — Rania Hanna (Hoopoe)Nadine is a jinn tasked with one job: telling the stories of the dead. She rises every morning to gather pomegranate seeds—the souls of the dead—that have fallen during the night. With her daughter Layala at her side‚ she eats the seeds and tells their stories. Only then can the departed pass through the final gate of death. But when the seeds stop falling‚ Nadine knows something is terribly wrong. All her worst fears are confirmed when she is visited by Kamuna‚ Death herself and ruler of the underworld‚ who reveals her desire for someone to replace her: it is Layala she wants. Nadine will do whatever it takes to keep her daughter safe‚ but Kamuna has little patience and a ruthless drive to get what she has come for. Layala’s fate‚ meanwhile‚ hangs in the balance. Rooted in Middle Eastern mythology‚ Rania Hanna deftly weaves subtle‚ yet breathtaking‚ magic through this vivid and compelling story that has at its heart the universal human desire to‚ somehow‚ outmaneuver death. Pinquickle’s Folly (DemonWars: The Buccaneers) — R. A. Salvatore (Saga)The first adventure in the Buccaneers trilogy begins in the free sea outside of the control of the usurping Xoconai empire‚ where the dwarven powrie pirates and merchants sail. But the golden-skinned Xoconai have begun to encroach upon these waters behind the rapacious attacks of the frigate Crocodile‚ helmed by Captain Aketz. But when forced to submit‚ these sailors choose to live‚ free to do as they please‚ without some fool or another pretending to hold power over them. April 23 A Letter to the Luminous Deep — Sylvie Cathrall (Orbit)A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion‚ at first for their mutual interests‚ and then‚ inevitably‚ for each other. Together‚ they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths‚ destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence‚ a seaquake destroys E.’s home‚ and she and Henerey vanish. A year later‚ E.’s sister Sophy‚ and Henerey’s brother Vyerin‚ are left to solve the mystery‚ piecing together the letters‚ sketches and field notes left behind—and learn what their siblings’ disappearance might mean for life as they know it. Inspired‚ immersive‚ and full of heart‚ this charming epistolary tale is an adventure into the depths of a magical sea and the limits of the imagination from a marvelous debut voice. Grand Tour (The Brass Queen #2) — Elizabeth Chatsworth (CamCat)In a fantastical steam-powered world‚ eccentric aristocrat and secret arms dealer‚ Miss Constance Haltwhistle‚ has been blackmailed into stealing alien artifacts from the crown heads of Europe. Only the shady but annoyingly handsome US spy‚ “Liberty” Trusdale‚ can help her execute her perfect palace heists. As Constance creates chaos and mayhem across the Continent‚ monstrous creatures are plotting an interdimensional invasion of Earth. Will Constance and Trusdale stop bickering long enough to end the war of the worlds before it starts? Necrobane (The Warden Series #2) — Daniel M. Ford (Tor Books)Aelis de Lenti‚ Lone Pine’s newly assigned Warden‚ is in deep trouble. She has just opened the crypts of Mahlgren‚ releasing an army of the undead into the unprotected backwoods of Ystain. To protect her village‚ she must unearth a source of immense Necromantic power at the heart of Mahlgren. The journey will wind through waves of undead‚ untamed wilderness‚ and curses far older than anything Aelis has ever encountered. But as strong as Aelis is‚ this is one quest she cannot face alone. Along with the brilliant mercenary she’s fallen for‚ her half-orc friend‚ and a dwarven merchant‚ Aelis must race the clock to unravel mysteries‚ slay dread creatures‚ and stop what she has set in motion before the flames of a bloody war are re-ignited. April 30 Relics of Ruin (Books of the Usurper #2) — Erin M Evans (Orbit)The conspiracy at the heart of the empire has been revealed. The Archivists played a key role in solving a brutal murder and uncovering one of the empire’s longest kept secrets. Now‚ what’s left in its wake are a series of unearthed artifacts‚ one shaken city‚ and the shocking truth not dared spoken aloud. Just as the empire has begun to regain normalcy‚ another mystery unveils itself when a stolen ancient relic is found. Only no one knew that it was missing from its sacred vault in the first place. And now that the real one has been recovered‚ who replaced it with a fake? With Quill and Amadea at the heart of another mystery‚ they will need to quickly follow the clues that all lead back to this new relic. Because all the while‚ an old enemy is gathering strength beyond the Salt Wall and the Archivists might come to find there’s nowhere left for them to go but over. The post All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in April! appeared first on Reactor.

Hochul: No‚ I Wasn't Told to Leave the Cop's Wake

The FBI Has Teams Visiting People to Discuss Facebook Posts

This is the absolute furthest thing from what’s in the best interest of kids. On Friday‚ just two days before the left obnoxiously celebrated Transgender Day of Visibility instead of Easter‚ a Texas appeals court upheld a lower court’s injunction blocking the state from investigating parents who help their kids transition with “gender-affirming care.” The decision is contrary to Governor Greg Abbot’s plea to stop these procedures and hold parents accountable for abusing their kids. Back in February 2022‚ Abbott ordered Texas Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS) to “carry out child abuse investigations into families whose children were receiving puberty-blocking treatments‚” U.S. News reported. Shortly after‚ a lower court imposed an injunction to block Abbott’s move insisting that “the probes endangered children and their families.” Now‚ more than two years later‚ the appeals court in Austin‚ Tex.‚ agreed with that lower court and insisted that parents who abuse their children via puberty-blockers‚ cross-sex hormones and gender mutilation surgeries shouldn’t be investigated for child abuse. The lower court‚ back in 2022 insisted that Abbott’s care for children and their well-being could cause “irreparable injury” to families.  If you want to talk about “irreparable injury‚” look at the irreversible‚ risky and life threatening procedures and surgeries the left likes putting kids through in order to affirm a delusional sense of identity. That’s the definition of “irreparable injury!” “This is a much-needed victory for trans youth and those who love and support them‚” the American Civil Liberties Union wrote on X. Similarly‚ a group called Gender Champion‚ celebrated the verdict and insisted that these harmful medical procedures are “gender-empowering medical treatments.” A group called Love to the Max even released an official statement on its advocacy website. Here’s what the group insisted: Today’s ruling by the Third Court of Appeals is a tremendous relief for our family and for the thousands of families like ours across Texas. The Texas Department of Family Protective Services‚ at the behest of the Governor and Attorney General‚ cannot investigate loving families of transgender youth for doing nothing more than loving our kids unconditionally and providing them appropriate care in all aspects of their lives. That’s not child abuse. That’s good parenting‚ full stop. Nothing about harming your kids in these ways signifies “good parenting.” Full stop. Luckily‚ some agreed with that sentiment and recognize how abusive it is to chemically or surgically harm your children. “Just to be clear‚ this means that if a parent with Munchausen’s by Proxy wants to sterilize their kid‚ or give them hormones that will prevent them from ever having a complete adult life the authorities may not act. Okay…that’s an interesting ruling‚” a user wrote in response to the news. A different user wrote‚ “This is not a win for the youth‚ just the parent groomers and doctors profiting from social manipulation and lies” and one more called out the obvious when they wrote‚ “Injecting children with cancer causing synthetic hormones isn’t gender affirming care.” Telling your son he’s your daughter is abusive. Stopping his body from going through the natural process of puberty is abusive. Giving your son estrogen so he grows boobs is abusive. Cutting off his balls to turn them into a make-shift vagina is abusive and to think that these procedures are anything other than abusive is insane. Prayers go out to the kids in Texas who’ll be subject to abuse like this by their parents.    

Aww: isn't he sweet? Good boy! On Monday's CNN This Morning‚ CNN's Dana Bash and Kasie Hunt gave Republican Lance Trover a pat on the head for being "evolved" about the supposedly disparate press treatment of male and female sports coaches. The matter arose in the context of a long Washington Post profile of LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey. After noting that the article "details her kind of pugnacious coaching personality‚"  Hunt skeptically wondered: "Would we talk about that with a male coach? I don't know." Republican strategist Lance Trover‚ who recently toiled for Doug Burgum for President‚ replied:  "I completely agree with you  . . . I read it and I thought‚ man‚ would a man have gotten the same treatment‚ right?" That warmed the feminist cockles of Bash's heart.  But first‚ she had to double-check Trover's truthfulness: "Did you really read that and think to yourself‚ would this be written about a man?" When Trover confirmed that he actually did‚ "absolutely‚" think that‚ Bash responded: "That is very 2024. The fact that you did that. I mean‚ I want to be hopeful to think that other men are as evolved as you are. But the fact that you did is pretty cool." Hunt pitched in: "Yeah‚ for sure: props for that." So Hunt and Bash are skeptical that articles profiling the pugnacious style of male coaches would be written? Hello?  For starters‚ for every such Mulkey article‚ there have surely been many more ripping the late Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight for his pugnacious/combative style. Even upon his death last year‚ prominent sports columnist  Mitch Albom wrote that the normal rule of not speaking ill about the dead should be waived!   Indeed‚ trashing the allegedly unpleasant personalities of male coaches has become a sport in itself‚ the subject of many listicle articles‚ as in: 20 Most Despicable Coaches‚ The 20 Angriest Coaches in Sports‚ and The 10 angriest coaches in college basketball. And every single coach mentioned in those articles was of the XY chromosome ilk. To offer some examples‚ would the names of these oft-reviled coaches ring a bell with Hunt and Bash: Bill Belichick‚ Lane Kiffin‚ Nick Saban‚ Billy Martin‚ Woody Hayes‚ Earl Weaver? The patronizing condescension of the CNN pair was off the charts. Imagine the feminist outrage if a couple of male sportswriters had similarly condescendingly congratulated a female political operative on her understanding of‚ say‚ the intricacies of the infield fly rule? Note: Bash even managed to somehow work in a shot at Donald Trump‚ saying that Mulkey's approach of preemptively criticizing the WaPo article before its publication represented the "Trumpization" of dealing with such situations. Here's the transcript. CNN This Morning 4/1/24 6:54 am EDT KASIE HUNT: Mulkey has been out there‚ Lance‚ basically pushing back ahead of a story that came out over the weekend which was in the Washington Post‚ was a long profile of her and looking at her personality in away that clearly Mulkey thought‚ she ahead of time called it a hit piece‚ attacks the journalist in the Washington Post. I think if you read the story‚ I'm not sure that the things that she said might be in there ended up being in the story. It was kind of a portrait of how Mulkey came to be. But‚ you know‚ I kind of go back and forth‚ because on the one hand‚ it details her kind of pugnacious coaching personality. Would we talk about that with a male coach? I don't know. On the other hand‚ we are getting a massive profile in a national publication of a women's basketball coach. And I actually think that's pretty good. LANCE TROVER: I completely agree with you on both counts. I sometimes‚ I read it and I thought‚ man‚ would a man have gotten the same treatment‚ right? But at the same time‚ it's bringing attention to it. I also think this is a lesson‚ PR 101 in 2024. Get in front of a story that's coming that you think is bad‚ and if you don't like what's in it‚ get out there and talk about it. Look what happened. She got a [inaudible.] DANA BASH: I mean‚ it is the Trumpization of the way to approach--and I'm sure you think about this in your line of work all the time. But the way to approach something that's coming is just to get out there and own it‚ and‚ frankly‚ appropriate it and‚ or to try to quash it in this case. I just want to co-sign‚ as the kids say‚ what you said about the fact that we're talking about women's basketball and women's sports in general. I mean this is really great. HUNT: I freaking love it.  BASH: It really great. It's the Caitlin Clark of it all. It's -- LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO: They're making money. They have fans. They have controversies [laughter]. HUNT: It's happening‚ it's happening. Guess what? It's just like men's‚ but again‚ I mean‚ look Lance‚ I'm sorry‚ you're the you're the man at this table for TROVER: I'm all in! BASH: What Lance said‚ what Lance said: that you actually. Did you really read that and think to yourself‚ would this be written about a man? TROVER: Yes‚ I did. Yeah‚ absolutely. BASH: First of all‚ that is very 2024. The fact that you did that. I mean‚ I want to be hopeful to think that other men are as evolved as you are. But the fact that you did is pretty cool. HUNT: Yeah‚ no‚ for sure. Props for that.

Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali is going viral for shutting down a BBC journalist who tried to lecture him about climate change.Just a decade ago‚ nearly half of Guyana's population lived in poverty. But the country's economic fortunes changed in 2015 when significant deposits of oil — billions of barrels' worth of oil‚ in fact — were discovered off the coast of the South American country. Now‚ Guyana's economy is one of the fastest-growing in the world.But in a recent interview with Ali‚ BBC journalist Stephen Sackur tried to scandalize Guyana's economic prosperity by invoking climate change. He said:Let's take a big-picture look at what's going on here: Over the next decade‚ two decades‚ it is expected that there will be $150 billion worth of oil and gas extracted off your coast. It's an extraordinary figure. But think of it in practical terms. That means‚ according to many experts‚ more than 2 billion tons of carbon emissions will come from your seabed from those reserves and be released into the atmosphere.President Ali‚ however‚ refused to be the subject of Sackur's virtue-signaling."Let me stop you right there‚" Ali said."Do you know that Guyana has a forest‚ forever‚ that is the size of England and Scotland combined? A forest stores 19.5 gigatons of carbon‚ a forest that we have kept alive?" he continued."Does that give you the right to release all of this carbon?" Sackur interjected.But Ali wasn't playing games."Does that give you the right to lecture us on climate change?" he shot back. "I am going to lecture you on climate change because we have kept this forest alive that stores 19.5 gigatons of carbon that you enjoy‚ that the world enjoys‚ that you don't pay us for‚ that you don’t value‚ that you don't see a value in‚ that the people of Guyana has kept alive."Guess what? We have in the lowest deforestation rate in the world. And guess what? Even with our greatest exploration of the oil and gas resource we have now‚ we will still be net zero‚ Guyana will still be net zero with all our exploration‚" Ali continued.At that point‚ Sackur still tried to interrupt‚ but Ali was not finished speaking."This is a hypocrisy that exists in the world‚" he said. "The world — in the last 50 years — has lost 65% of all its biodiversity. We have kept our biodiversity. Are you valuing it? Are you ready to pay for it? When is the developed world going to pay for it? Or are you in the pockets of those who have damaged the environment? Are you and your system in the pockets of those who destroyed the environment through the Industrial Revolution and now lecturing us? Are you in their pockets? Are you paid by them?"Sackur never answered any of Ali's questions. Instead‚ he shifted the interview to a new topic. — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Law enforcement officials are investigating a "suspicious" incident on Easter Sunday in front of a Tennessee church‚ where a trailer full of hundreds of Bibles was intentionally set on fire. Around 6 a.m. on Easter Sunday‚ the security cameras at the Global Vision Church reportedly caught a man dropping off a trailer in the middle of the intersection‚ blocking the entrance to the church.A man reportedly then set hundreds of Bibles on fire in front of the church in Mount Juliet‚ Tennessee. The church's pastor‚ Greg Locke‚ said in a statement on Facebook: "There was a lady that had driven through the night to get to our church and she was in the parking lot and was able to get the police officers here quickly‚ but it was quite the scene to wake up to on my first morning back from Israel."The Mt. Juliet Police Department and Fire Department responded to the trailer fire and extinguished the blaze. The Bible fire caused temporary road closures. There were no injuries from the trailer fire‚ and the church property did not incur any damage. Easter Sunday services at the Global Vision Church were not interrupted. Locke told the Tennessean‚ "It did not‚ nor will it stop us. It was cleaned up in time for people to drive into the parking lot. We had a full house and a marvelous service."The Wilson County Sheriff's Office noted that the trailer fire was "suspicious" and done "intentionally." Police did not provide a motive for the Bible burning or if the church was the intended target. Police said no other specific details could be provided at this time in an effort to "uphold the integrity of the ongoing investigation‚" but updates would be shared at "the appropriate juncture."Locke declared‚ "It was 100 percent directed at (Global Vision Bible Church). It blocked the entrance to our campus and the fact that it was an entire load of Bibles is rather conclusive proof that is was most assuredly directed at us."Locke told WKRN-TV‚ "It was strange because he [the suspect] had his blinkers on and he scotched the wheels and everything. He was very meticulous‚ so he had to be very courageous to do what he did. We’ve had people do things to our building‚ we’ve been vandalized a number of times‚ hence why we have to have security‚ but never 200 Bibles being burned. That’s a pretty rebellious statement towards the church."The pastor proclaimed‚ "If you think Christianity is not under attack more than ever before in the United States of America‚ you have not been paying attention."“What people think many times is going to stop us‚ really just encourages us‚ in a weird way‚ to know that we’re doing what’s right‚” Locke stated. Police are urging anyone with information or footage of the incident to contact the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office at 615-444-1459.Last week‚ Locke appeared on "The Steve Deace Show" airing on BlazeTV to have a discussion about faith. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up! Trailer of Bibles burned on Easter Sunday in Wilson County www.youtube.com

Critics are brutally mocking "bystander intervention cards" touted by Northern California's Bay Area Rapid Transit system for use during harassment situations.BART on Friday posted instructions on X about the cards: "You can ask any station agent for BART’s free bystander intervention cards‚ which you can use if you’re experiencing or witnessing harassment in stations and trains."The post includes a video featuring two female college students who ride BART and explain how the cards work. When riders are being harassed‚ they can hand out the "You got me?" cards as a request for help; when riders believe they are witnessing others being harassed‚ they can hand out the "I got you" cards to the perceived victim: — (@) One student in the video says the cards "give me a concrete way to deal with an unsafe situation. I'm not very equipped to deal with them on my own‚ and so these cards give me a sense of community and a sense of support."The second student says "especially for young college students and for youth‚ I think these cards are really accessible. It just gives a really easy way to either help someone or to ask for help without having to do much. If everyone has one then we'll just be able to support each other so much better and feel safer."Oh‚ and they're free.Here's the primary post with the video: — (@) How are people reacting?As you might expect‚ critics haven't been too kind to BART and its "bystander intervention cards." As of Monday afternoon‚ BART's primary post is getting ratioed at two-to-one rate. Here are but a few of the many blistering reactions:"Are children running BART? This is a shamefully juvenile approach to crime. Why don’t you hang 'crime-free zone' signs? Worked so well in those drug-free zones. Wish I could fire who is behind this‚" one commenter wrote."When you see someone getting stabbed‚ hand them an 'I got you' card and wait for them to ask you to call someone‚" another user quipped."Have you tried doing an interpretive dance to stop attackers yet?" another commenter wondered."Are you f***ing kidding me?" another user asked."This is what happens when sociology majors are given power to make decisions‚" another commenter observed."This is parody‚ right?" another user queried."Clearly you guys posted this 2 days early‚" another commenter noted. "April 1st is a not here yet.""Here are the rules for men‚" another user stated. "1. Help the woman being attacked. 2. If you injure the attacker‚ you go to jail.""This is not real right!? This is a sketch comedy routine right? Cause unless those cards 'magically' transport you out of the situation then they are useless! And BTW‚ who can up with this idea? What [clown] got paid money to come up with this!?" another commenter asked.Then there's this gem: Image source: XAnything else?BART added in its post that the bystander intervention cards "were created as part of BART’s Not One More Girl campaign‚ which encourages safety through bystander support and awareness‚ especially for girls and gender-expansive youth."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Now that our nation’s “devout Catholic” president has replaced Easter on his calendar with the Transgender Day of Visibility‚ it’s important that we understand what our options are for moving forward. Now that pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted the Easter vigil mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City (the second time that venerable house of worship has been desecrated by the spirit of the age already this year)‚ it’s important that we understand what our options are for moving forward. A minority of local and state officials‚ having bound themselves to the spirit of the age‚ are determined to degrade the soul of a community. Now that a Texas judge has ruled on Easter Sunday that the illegal aliens who overran National Guard troops at the southern border must be released from jail‚ it’s important that we understand what our options are for moving forward. Now that Tennessee Pastor Greg Locke‚ whom I recently interviewed on my show‚ woke up Easter Sunday morning to a trailer full of Bibles that were set on fire‚ it’s important that we understand what our options are for moving forward. It’s time to ask yourself: What are you prepared to do? Jesus is indeed risen. But are we ready and willing to carry out Matthew 28 to the ends of the earth‚ or is checking our next box on the comfort list a greater commission for us than ever before? You’ll recall that in my last column I wrote about the Kentucky border town of Metropolis‚ Illinois‚ and how the woke mob had forced its lust for pornographic books there by way of firing the library director‚ who wouldn’t cooperate with the evil. I told you then that there was no place left to hide in America‚ and I meant it. Well‚ turns out Metropolis Mayor Don Canada has no intention of hiding. He proceeded to remove three of the library board members — including board president Rhonda James — for not being able to verify that they are even supposed to be on the board in the first place. “My only job is to appoint to the board‚ and now somehow I’m getting blamed for all this‚” Canada said. “But I did my homework‚ and now I’m going to clean it up. We give the library money. We’ve increased their funding. We pay their utilities. I believe the city has supported the library 100 percent‚ and it is upsetting they won’t support the people who supported them.” According to Canada‚ there is no evidence in the public record showing that the members of the library board he just removed followed the proper reappointment procedures when their terms began in 2021 — just weeks after Canada himself had won election to his office. In fact‚ other seats on the library board have opened‚ and the board president has not been in contact with the mayor for months. For a little bit of insight into the kind of person Rhonda James truly is‚ consider her response to a local radio interviewer's question. When asked whether she was responsible for getting Illinois Democrats to recruit out-of-state protesters in a bid to have the library director fired‚ she said‚ “Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t.” That isn’t sketchy at all‚ is it? Meanwhile‚ the Illinois secretary of state has responded to Canada’s dismissal of James and two other library board members. Canada’s actions‚ Alexi Giannoulias said‚ “should frighten and insult all Americans who believe in the freedom of speech and democracy. Retaliating against local library trustees‚ who are dedicated to serving their community assisting children in learning‚ is unacceptable.” OK‚ groomer. Let’s recall what got all of this started. The controversy began with the library board’s decision to adopt a broad interpretation of “assisting children in learning‚” which led to pornographic material being introduced into the community under the guise of the Library Bill of Rights. A minority of local and state officials‚ having bound themselves to the spirit of the age‚ are determined to degrade the soul of a community in a manner no less depraved than the examples laid out earlier in this column. The Metropolis City Council has put off a resolution to approve the mayor’s decision. The council resolved last week to revisit and review the situation later this month.We all know that the narcissistic library board president and her mob of willing Democrats will spend the next few weeks calling people names and threatening more protests in order to scare both the city council and the community in general to bow to their wishes. In fact‚ Canada reported that James is the only one truly engaged in censorship by refusing to follow Robert’s Rules of Order and limiting other library board members’ ability to speak. “I think they are playing a dirty game to push an agenda‚” Canada said. “So much of this wasn’t done with proper order. If we are going to move forward‚ we need a fresh start.” That’s true. But we are dealing with enemies who are content to publicly denigrate church services‚ burn Bibles‚ give Easter to the drag queens‚ and release Barabbas at the border. The people of Metropolis have a big decision to make. Do they plan on exorcising such demons with prejudice‚ or will they keep dancing blindly with the devil by the pale moonlight?

‘Al Jazeera harmed Israel’s security‚ actively participated in the October 7 massacre‚ and incited [violence] against IDF soldiers‚’ Netanyahu said.