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As a lifelong cat owner, it is with the knowledge of experience that I say the chore I dislike the most is cleaning the litter box.

I've tried to interrogate this to no avail — I don't find it particularly gross or tedious (it takes all of three minutes max if you do it daily). And while I couldn't find answers to my aversion, when Petlibro released its first automatic litter box just a couple of months after I adopted a new kitten, well, it felt something like an answer from the universe.

My kitten, Mouse, graciously took up the task of helping me test out the Petlibro Luma Smart Litter Box, both with and without the AI feature set. After about three and a half months (and at many pounds of growth on Mouse's part), here are my thoughts on the Litter-Robot alternative.

Petlibro Luma Smart Litter Box: Price

At $599.99, the price of the Petlibro Luma is nothing to scoff at, so let's break it down.

First of all, included in the box is one litter mat and litter filter (pre-installed in the Luma), an additional litter filter for non-clumping tofu and mixed litters, 15 waste bags, a removable step, and a carbon filter.

Expensive as it is, it is cheaper than a $749 Litter-Robot 4, the $799 Litter-Robot 5, and the $899 Litter-Robot 5 Pro. It is also the same price as the "affordable" model from the brand, the Litter-Robot Evo. At the same time, it far eclipses the price of the much less space-intensive and open-top PetSafe ScoopFree, which will only run you $119.99 (minus the cost of any tray replacements required for upkeep).

SEE ALSO: 3 new Litter-Robots were just announced, including one geared toward small spaces

All this to say, the price led me to believe that with this product, Petlibro aims to offer the elevated automatic litter box experience (i.e., the Litter-Robot experience) at a price just competitive enough to be considered cheaper than Litter-Robot's.

Mouse leaving the scene of the crime. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

In addition to the upfront cost, to perform as intended, this litter box also requires replacement of the carbon air filter ($19.99) every one to three months and the interior litter mat ($29.99) every 90 days. If you want access to features like saved videos and smart summaries that feature details about your cat's health, these are the available pricing tiers:

• Video Cloud AI Standard: Costs $95.99 per year, with support for one Luma device. Saves seven-day video history, with smart summaries and highlight reels.

• Video Cloud AI Premium: Costs $135.99 per year, with support for one Luma device. Saves 30-day video history, with smart summaries and highlight reels.

• Video Cloud AI Premium Family: Costs $159.99 per year, with support for up to three Luma devices. Also saves 30-day video history, with smart summaries and highlight reels.

None of these are required to use the litter box (and I found it functioned more than fine without them), but if one of the primary reasons you're in the automatic litter box market is because you want to closely monitor your pet's health, it's a cost worth noting. For the majority of the testing period, I had access to the AI premium subscription, courtesy of Petlibro.

How the Petlibro Luma litter box works

The available feature set with this litter box includes the following, with bolded features only available with the AI subscription (which I'll get more into below):

• Automatic cleaning with odor control

• AI waste analysis

• Washable base

• Multi-cat detection

• Visit monitoring

• Video cloud storage

• Long-term health analytics

• Safety features

For a basic clean, the central part of the box rotates back and upwards to dump all the waste into the drawer that sits at the bottom of the box. While this happens, an air purifier runs. Then the main part of the litter box rotates back, shifting to reset the litter to an even position comfortable for your cat. All told, it can take about one to two minutes, but the sensors (which I'll talk more about below) will stop the cleaning process if your cat is anywhere near the box.

The central component of the litter box rolls back, closing it off, while emptying out. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Maintenance of the box itself is super easy — a notification let me know when it was time to clean out the waste drawer, which, true to Petlibro's estimate, was roughly every two weeks. The central drum of the litter box could easily be popped and cleaned within a matter of five to 10 minutes. While researching for this review, I saw plenty of folks on Reddit complaining about how the spin mechanism of the Litter-Robot made it easy to get dirty, and that cleaning it could be kind of a pain. With the Luma box, the cleaning process felt pretty much as easy as I could imagine.

To thoroughly clean the box, I was able to remove the drum without issue to get into all the nooks and crannies. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable The after! Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable Seamless performance with even better smell

The first time I emptied the waste drawer after two weeks of use, I was genuinely shocked at how bad it smelled, considering I hadn't noticed it at all prior to opening the drawer. Thankfully, experiencing the smell was short-lived: All I had to do to empty the drawer was tie up the drawstring bag, toss it, and replace it with a new one.

Mouse is an adventurous cat (which tracks for a kitten found on a California freeway), so she was game to use the fancy litter box on day one. Tucked away in my family's living room, everyone I lived with basically forgot it existed after the initial setup, minus the times its cleaning cycle ran. It's not very loud, but if you're worried about it going off at inopportune times, you can schedule cleans or switch on manual mode.

Mouse, immortalized in her post-spay recovery shirt, courtesy of the Petlibro app. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

This setup was especially nice for times I wasn't at home for longer stretches. My phone sent notifications every time Mouse was near or using the box, as well as when a cleaning cycle was up. Once I connected it to the AI subscription, I got access to a live and on-demand video feed of Mouse using the box. (Yes, I watched it! It was cute!)

Without the AI features, on the app, I could track every time she used the bathroom, her weight, and even get a picture of her using the box. Of course, it also let me know when the waste drawer needed to be emptied, and when the box needed a replacement carbon filter and litter mat. If she didn't use the bathroom for 24 hours, the app notified me to let me know her habits looked atypical, which could be huge if you're monitoring for any illness or weird behavior from your animal.

The features that live behind a subscription

"What does having an AI litter box even mean?" was a question I was asked no less than five times while I was testing this product, which, valid. I didn't quite know what to expect either.

After my months of testing, I can confidently say it's like having another pair of eyes on your cat — consider the Luma a Bathroom Big Brother. Maybe a bit dystopian, but any cat owner knows cats are notoriously good at hiding any health issues, especially when it relates to their bathroom habits, so in this case, it was genuinely helpful.

With the AI features, you know whether your cat has peed or pooped and whether it looks like a normal version of either. You can also view a video recording directly from the log on the app and verify whether the AI identified everything correctly. Petlibro claims the more you correct the AI, the better it gets, and I found that to line up with my experience.

The data from the app, sans AI subscription. Credit: Petlibro / Screenshot Versus with the AI subscription. Credit: Petlibro / Screenshot

At the end of a month, Petlibro creates a highlight reel of your cat's time in the bathroom, condensed down to 30-second bits per day. This maybe felt like the least necessary of all the features, but if you're monitoring your cat especially closely and want to make sure you didn't miss a thing, it's a nice fail-safe.

The app also grants you access to care trends, whether that be changes in their waste or frequency of use, or weight, with the data tracked on easy-to-read charts. When revisiting past logs, you could also filter for certain data. Basically, it felt like a period tracker for my cat, which was kind of great for vet appointments.

Finding health data, made easy. Credit: Petlibro / Screenshot Mouse favored her other litter box for a couple days, at which point the app let me know what I might want to flag to a vet. Credit: Petlibro / Screenshot Safety precautions are there

One of the bigger hesitations I saw online about the Luma litter box was the rollback design of the central part of the litter box. It's fair — during parts of the cleaning process, a cat theoretically inside could get seriously hurt, as the drum rolls all the way back to empty out the waste.

However, Petlibro uses three different sensors to make sure that doesn't happen: an inward-facing AI camera, a weight detection sensor, and a front-facing motion sensor. There's also child-lock features for the buttons on the box itself, and the option to turn off automatic cleaning altogether, or to schedule the cleanings.

Overall, I didn't experience a single problem with safety. Mouse likes to watch when I scoop her non-automated box, and so naturally she also liked to watch the robot box do its thing — any time she got remotely close enough to actually get inside of it, it paused. One time during testing, it actually detected the weight of an animal in the box when there was one, but it was paused until I unplugged and re-plugged in the machine. While that wasn't the most ideal, it did give me the feeling that this box errs on the side of safety over convenience.

The cleaning completely stopped, with any option to manually resume it greyed out until the box could no longer detect the weight. Credit: Petlibro / Screenshot Petlibro vs. Litter-Robot

Petlibro's Luma carves itself out as the mid-tier option between budget automatic boxes and the Litter-Robot, so while I haven't had a chance to test the Litter-Robot for myself, it felt worth looking at their feature sets to compare the performance and cost of the two as best I can.

The first difference is that while the Petlibro Luma rolls backward to empty itself, the Litter-Robot spins around from side to side to get empty, which means it always remains open. This has the safety benefit of always giving your cat an option to jump out. However, it does mean it might not appeal to cats who prefer a more open top, which the Luma does provide. As Mouse is still a baby (literally, I mean), she wasn't the best test subject for this point, but Petlibro says its box can fit cats up to 22 pounds.

The Litter-Robot EVO features design with a more closed-off top to cats. Credit: Litter-Robot While Petlibro's Luma keeps things open. Credit: Petlibro

As I mentioned above, the spinning of the Litter-Robot also led to some folks online complaining about how quickly it can get covered in litter and dust.

Also on the design front, the Petlibro box comes with a ramp that touches the floor, while it's an additional purchase for the Litter-Robot. Compared to the Litter-Robot EVO, the most compact option from the brand, the Luma is a bit shorter but a few inches wider than the Litter-Robot.

Considering the Luma and EVO cost the same price, it's also worth noting that Petlibro claims up to 10 cats can use the Luma, while Litter-Robot doesn't recommend the EVO for more than a one to two-cat household. The EVO also has no WasteID features — you'd have to go to the more expensive Litter-Robot 5 or 5 Pro for that.

Is the Petlibro Luma litter box worth it?

If the idea of a high-end litter box is enticing to you, but the prices of the Litter-Robot have made you hold off until now, the Petlibro Luma presents a worthwhile alternative, especially if you're looking for waste analysis or a box for more than two cats, but don't want to spend upwards of $700.

While I can't personally speak to the performance of the Litter-Robot EVO, value-wise, Petlibro's model is the better option — especially if you can grab it on sale.

Petlibro Luma Smart Litter Box $539.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $60   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Petlibro

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Evil Dead mastermind Sam Raimi has blessed us with a cheeky new thriller to obsess over in 2026. One of our most anticipated releases this year, Send Help marks Raimi's return to horror for the first time in over a decade. And it's officially headed to streaming.

Equal parts psychological thriller and dark comedy, Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko calls Send Help a "totally twisted thrill ride" and a "gross and glorious good time." It stars a stellar Rachel McAdams in a role completely unlike anything you'd expect from her and an equally matched Dylan O'Brien (Twinless).

It hit theaters in January and scored unexpectedly high ratings. If you haven't seen it yet or you can't wait to see it again, now's your chance to watch Send Help — and all its gory, gloppy thrills —  at home. Here's what you need to know.

What is Send Help about?

Send Help follows Linda Liddle (McAdams), a mousy, middle-aged office worker and Survivor lover who has a ton of unexpected skills. Bradley Preston (O'Brien) is her douchey boss who promotes one of his frat bros over her. When the plane crashes on their next business trip, leaving them stranded alone on a desert island, a dramatic reverse in power dynamics presents itself.

As Puchko puts it, it's a bit "Romancing the Stone meets Triangle of Sadness... meets Misery."

Check out the full trailer:

Is Send Help worth watching?

Send Help is the sleeper hit of the season you didn't know you needed. After raking in $94 million worldwide (on a $40 million production budget), it holds a 93 percent critic rating and 87 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes — pretty impressive numbers for an original horror comedy. It largely benefited from word of mouth.

Mashable's own film critic had only positive things to say about the latest Raimi film. "Watching Send Help, my stomach churned, my jaw dropped, my eyes bulged, and I threw my hands over my face a few times to guard from the gross explosion on screen," she writes. "Then I walked out cackling and giddy, because Send Help is not just one of the grossest movies I've seen in the last decade. It's also a rip-roaring, no-fucks-to-give good time."

Read our full review of Send Help.

How to watch Send Help at home Credit: 20th Century Studios

Send Help opened in theaters nationwide on Jan. 30, 2026. If you missed out, no biggie; it's now officially available to watch at home in a couple of different ways. As of May 7, 2026, you can buy it or stream it. See the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

The 20th Century Studios film officially made its at-home debut via video-on-demand retailers on March 24, 2026. You can purchase Send Help for your own digital library. The movie was also available to rent for 30 days, but has since disappeared. We'll be on the lookout for the rental option to return; it will likely cost $5.99.

Here are some quick links to buy the film on digital:

• Apple TV — $9.99

• Fandango at Home — $9.99

• Google Play — $19.99 to buy

• Prime Video — $9.99

• YouTube — $19.99 to buy

Stream it on Hulu

Send Help made its streaming debut on Hulu on May 7, 2026. That three-month window from the theater to streaming is right on par with other 20th Century Studios films.

Hulu subscriptions start at $11.99 per month (thanks to a late 2025 price hike), but there are a few different ways you can save. We've rounded up the best ongoing Hulu streaming deals below.

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The best way to cut back on the cost of a Hulu subscription is to opt for an annual plan instead of a monthly plan. You'll pay for a year up front for $119.99 (which breaks down to $9.99 per month) instead of $143.88. That's about 16% or just shy of $24 in savings. It's not the biggest discount ever, but every dollar counts.

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One of the best deals in the streaming world is Disney's bundle plan, and for a limited time, you can sign up for a six-month subscription to both for only $11.99 per month (reg. $12.99 per month). That means you'll get one streaming service completely for free for six months. After the six-month promotional period, you'll pay just a dollar more per month — still a pretty great deal if you ask me.

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College students can save 83% or $10 per month on a Hulu with ads subscription. Sign up through the Hulu Student promotional page and verify your college email address via SheerID, and the price will drop from $11.99 to just $1.99 per month. The deal is valid as long as your student status can be verified.

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Aside from the free trial, the only way you can get Hulu for free in 2026 is through T-Mobile's Go5G Next and Experience Beyond plans (you'll also get Netflix for free and Apple TV+ for $3). If you're already on one of these plans, head over to the T-Mobile promo page and choose "redeem now" to claim the offer. Just enter your T-Mobile number and account details to sign up for Hulu.

Newborn stars born in the biggest stellar clusters tear themselves out of their birth clouds much faster than those that grow up in small clusters, according to a new study. 

Using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope, researchers studied nearly 9,000 examples from four different galaxies: Messier 51, Messier 83, NGC 4449, and NGC 628.

Because no one can watch a single cluster evolve over millions of years in space, scientists instead observed many clusters at different intervals and treated them like snapshots in a sequence. Some stars were still completely buried in dust. Some had partly emerged. Others were fully exposed.

What researchers found was a consistent pattern: The star clusters moved through the same sequence but how quickly depended on their mass. For the largest clusters, clearing the cloud of gas and dust may only take about 5 million years. The smaller ones may not break free for 7 to 8 million years.

The research puts real numbers on something that has remained ambiguous up until now. Simulations of star formation already factor in so-called "stellar feedback" — the radiation, stellar winds, and supernovas that young stars produce — but the models disagree on how fast those events and processes blow away gas. These new measurements, published in Nature Astronomy, give scientists a concrete timeline based on a large sample, said Angela Adamo, a lead author on the study from Stockholm University and the Oskar Klein Centre in Sweden.

SEE ALSO: A teeny-tiny world beyond Pluto appears to have an atmosphere

The patterns showed up everywhere the team looked, even though each galaxy doesn't look or behave the same way. That consistency suggests the timing isn't just a product of a local quirk in one environment, but a basic feature of how star clusters evolve.

The clusters all started off similarly: with baby stars releasing their energy in secret. At the earliest stage, they're hidden deep within a thick cloud of gas and dust that blocks their visible light. Only infrared light can pass through that haze.

Inset images zoom in on newborn star clusters in Messier 51, one of the four galaxies included in the new James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble study. Credit: ESA / NASA / CSA / A. Pedrini / A. Adamo

As the concealed stars grow, they change their environment, heating the surrounding gas and blasting out radiation and fast stellar winds. Over time, that energy pushes the gas and dust away, revealing what's inside.

By counting how many clusters appear in each stage, the researchers estimated how long each phase lasts. The idea is simple: If lots of clusters show up in a stage, it tends to last longer; if only a few do, it's over more quickly.

Once the cloud is gone, there's nothing holding the stars back. Their ultraviolet radiation can travel farther through their home galaxy, colliding with nearby gas and influencing where new stars can or cannot form next.

When that stellar feedback is unleashed, it creates a lot of waste, sterilizing regions of galaxies. Most of the gas never gets used for star formation. 

That extends to planets, too. Young stars form with disks of gas and dust around them, and those disks birth planets. If a cluster blows away its surrounding material quickly, those disks get exposed earlier, vulnerable to harsh radiation that can interrupt the process of world building. 

The research has implications for scientists working on a variety of cosmic mysteries, said Alex Pedrini, lead author of the study, who is also based at Stockholm University and the Oskar Klein Centre in Sweden.

"We can look into the cradles of star clusters and connect planet formation to the cycle of star formation and stellar feedback," he said in a statement.

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from France with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

Access to Pornhub is restricted in a number of locations around the world.

Early in 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws for online adult content. After the introduction of these new requirements, Pornhub responded by blocking users from those locations. Now the same situation is taking place in France, with users in the country unable to access YouPorn, RedTube, and Pornhub.

There are complicated reasons for the blockade, but the workaround is actually very simple. If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from France, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in France

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

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The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock Pornhub for free in France with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026, a full-featured IDE with built-in AI tools and collaboration features, is now price dropped to $34.97 (reg. $499.99) through May 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 $34.97
$499.99 Save $465.02   Get Deal

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your development environment, this deal makes it a lot easier to justify. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is down to $34.97 (reg. $499.99).

Built as a 64-bit IDE, this release handles large and complex projects with ease. It supports a range of languages and platforms, from .NET and C++ to web development, offering flexibility for varied workflows and making it simple to tailor to your specific needs.

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It also fits into workflows that developers are already using. With built-in integrations with tools like Azure and GitHub, you can manage version control, deployments, and collaboration without switching between platforms, helping keep projects moving without unnecessary slowdowns.

AI-powered tools like IntelliCode suggest code completions based on your day-to-day process, helping to accelerate repetitive tasks and minimize errors. CodeLens brings recent changes and test results directly into your editor, streamlining work across extensive codebases.

For teams, Live Share makes collaboration more straightforward. Instead of dealing with extra setup steps, you can jump into shared sessions to edit and debug code together in real time.

Of course, this isn’t necessarily for beginners who are just experimenting with code. It’s better suited to developers who already have some experience and need tools that can handle larger or more complex projects. It’s designed for Windows, so that’s something to keep in mind if you’re working across multiple operating systems.

Still, if you’ve been comparing IDEs or waiting for a good price on Visual Studio, this software stands out. Getting access to a professional-grade development environment, especially with the added AI tools and collaboration features, is something that will come in handy every day.

If this matches your needs, Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is available for $34.97 reg. ($499.99), through May 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

After her first year of college, rather than taking the summer off and decompressing from the school year, Chloe Gong decided to write a book. That novel, These Violent Delights, would go on to become a New York Times bestseller.

These Violent Delights debuted on Nov. 17, 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic and Gong's senior year at the University of Pennsylvania. Despite not being able to tour the country to promote her book, her novel still debuted on the New York Times bestseller list in the weeks after its release because Gong took a different route: TikTok.

Gong created her TikTok leading up to the release of her book, promoting preorders and seeking early readers. While the approach then may have seemed untraditional, she was, in reality, ahead of the curve in modern book marketing. Her TikTok account now has 221.7K followers, and she has published seven books, with two more coming in the second half of 2026.

What Gong tapped into was BookTok, a corner of TikTok where readers could connect and enthusiastically share their latest reads. As of 2026, the #BookTok hashtag on the app has surpassed 78.7 million posts. The platform's influence is hard to overstate. In 2021, the World Economic Forum reported that readers purchased a record-breaking 821 million books, a surge widely attributed to BookTok. Its impact has reshaped bookselling, with both physical and online stores routinely featuring dedicated BookTok sections. The publishing industry has had to adapt, and for authors, that shift increasingly means active participation in online communities.

Today, authors are expected to take on an additional role: creator. Authors, who used to be known by name alone and maybe an author photo on the back cover, have taken a front-facing role. Author Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen) has amassed 501.5K followers on TikTok, and Jodi Picoult (My Sister's Keeper) has 478.5K followers.

On BookTok, alongside readers posting monthly reading wrap-ups, you'll find bestselling and indie authors alike, pitching their books in less than 60 seconds. Authors are using the platform to engage with fans, and also just have fun, participating in trends and embracing lifestyle content.

Gong, whom I spoke with at BookCon 2026 in New York City, said, "Social media feels as though it has become an essential tool for authors who want to level the playing field, especially if they don’t have the backing of a lead title." In publishing, books generally fall into three categories: lead titles, midlist, and quiet books. As the name suggests, lead titles — often written by established or highly anticipated authors — receive the bulk of a publisher's time, resources, and marketing budget. Midlist and quiet titles, by contrast, receive progressively less support, placing more of the burden of promotion on the authors themselves.

Even with hundreds of thousands of followers, however, viral success does not guarantee book sales. Gong cautions that relying on social media remains a gamble. "It has worked for many people, but at the end of the day, it is still like gambling," she said. "There's no denying how powerful [social media] is, but when I'm giving advice to new authors, I always want to tell them, 'Look, you can roll the dice, but you can't beat yourself up for not winning.' The odds are just stacked against you. The algorithm is very specific about what types of books that it likes."

Emma Noyes is one author who took that gamble. In a Substack post titled "Once, I had a book deal for half a million dollars. Now, I'm back to self-publishing," she recounts her path to a traditional publishing deal. After years of trying to break in, Noyes joined TikTok in 2021 as BookTok gained momentum. By 2022, she had built a following of more than 150K, which helped her secure her dream agent. In July 2022, she signed a multi-book deal with Berkley Publishing, followed by another with Wednesday Books in May 2023. Combined, those advances totaled more than half a million dollars, she wrote.

But after the book deal, Noyes slowly learned a crucial lesson: "Followers do not equal book sales."

"People came to my page for the roommate who built my bookshelf, my Swedish boyfriend (now husband), my Vampire Diaries parodies and videos about the cast, and my older brother Henry, who the internet decided was hot (gross). All of those things were fun to film, but they had nothing to do with my writing," Noyes writes, "Which meant that, when I posted about my books, no one cared. And no one purchased." Now, she's taking a different route: self-publishing her next novel, Prince of the Sun.

For other authors, writing is built into their platform from the start. Katie Wu, who joined TikTok under the username @katiewuwrites, created her account the day after finishing her first novel. "I believed in myself, so I started my account in case it could help my author journey," Wu says when we spoke at BookCon.

Wu's debut novel, Madder Lake, is set to be published by Harper Voyager in 2027. As for whether her TikTok following helped her land the deal, she says it's possible. During the BookCon panel "Readers vs. Writers' Spaces," Wu shared that a "whole slew of factors" go into a publisher's decision to acquire a book — and she's unsure how much her platform ultimately mattered.

But with authors taking the gamble on content creation, there's another issue to contend with: navigating the boundaries between reader and writer spaces online. While Gong was early to TikTok, BookTok was originally, and still is, driven by readers sharing and reviewing books. While there are plenty of loyal fans of authors and book series, when a negative review rolls in, authors are now face-to-face with their critics.

"Just don't tag writers in negative reviews, right? That's just common courtesy," Wu said on her BookCon panel. Author Brooke Fast, who joined Wu on the same panel, also had insights. Like Wu, Fast was first a creator, primarily on Bookstagram (the equivalent of BookTok, but on Instagram), before HarperCollins published her debut novel, To Cage a Wild Bird.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brooke Fast (@librarybrookes)

"If I'm tagged in positive content, I'll typically interact with it when I'm able, but I would never interact with negative content," said Fast. "I know sometimes it gets confusing. I've heard authors say that if someone comments negatively on my post, that's my space and I'm now entitled to fight back. But I just think nothing good comes from fighting."

“If I'm tagged in positive content, I'll usually interact with it when I can, but I never engage with negative content," Fast said. "I know that can be confusing. I've heard authors say that if someone comments negatively on my post, that's my space and I’m entitled to fight back. But I don’t think anything good comes from fighting."

With authors increasingly present on BookTok, the challenge isn't just proximity to audiences; content creation can become a full-time job, often at the expense of writing. Wu says social media can be useful in the early stages, helping her narrow down and refine ideas. By staying attuned to what readers are discussing, she can "use that lens to help [her] pick and refine ideas." But once drafting begins, she makes a point to tune it out.

Gong echoed that approach. "My job is writing. My job isn't being an influencer. I’ll post if I have something to share with my readers — behind-the-scenes insights or news about a new book — but I always remind myself that my goal is connection, not growth. Otherwise, my books get sidelined."

So while the author-as-content-creator line begins to blur in the era of self-promotion, especially when publishing resources aren't stacked in an author's favor, it remains true that it's a tool for connection and promotion, but it's not a second career.

TL;DR: Learn piano on your own time with a lifetime subscription to this AI-powered Skoove Premium Piano Lessons, $99.97 (reg. $299.99) through May 10.

Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription $99.97
$299.99 Save $200.02   Get Deal

Want to learn piano between emails, episodes, or outfit changes? Skoove Premium Piano Lessons makes mastering the keys fit into your busy lifestyle. Learn from this AI-powered app on your own terms with this lifetime subscription, on sale now for just $99.97 through May 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Do you have access to a piano or keyboard? If you do, all you’ll need is your phone to start on your journey to becoming a pianist. Skoove Premium Piano Lessons brings lessons to you with AI-powered teaching that fits your schedule.

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Think of Skoove as your AI piano tutor that listens as you play. It can recognize your notes and give you real-time feedback, no matter your skill level. Hop in as a beginner or start at a more advanced level — there are over 400 lessons and thousands of instructional videos to pick from.

Skoove lets you learn by playing your favorite tunes. Pick pop songs by Adele or The Beatles, or classical pieces by Beethoven or Bach.

With a lifetime subscription, the learning never ends. Continue enhancing your skills in your spare time, and keep things fresh with new lessons and songs added every month.

Need extra support? Skoove also offers one-on-one help from real music instructors when you need it.

Play piano like a pro thanks to this lifetime subscription to this AI-powered Skoove Premium Piano Lessons, now just $99.97 through May 10.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

12. Worst Ex Ever, Season 2

If you ripped through Should I Marry a Murderer? and want more true crime stories about romances that turned toxic (and even deadly), then Blumhouse's second season of Worst Ex Ever is for you.

Four new episodes told from the perspective of the exes who survived them reveal stories of betrayal, robbery, assault, and murder. Some you may have heard about, like the 90 Day Fiancé star accused of decades of domestic violence. Or the "worst ex" that kicks off Season 2: Wade Wilson, aka "the Deadpool Killer." But even if you've heard of these bad boyfriends before, this series unearths shocking details that are sure to leave you rattled. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Worst Ex Ever Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

11. Whistle

So you're a group of students who find a creepy skull-shaped pipe and decide the best course of action is to blow into it. You're the characters from Whistle, directed by Corin Hardy (The Nun) and written by Owen Egerton (Mercy Black). But folks, this ain't just any cursed object, it's an Aztec death whistle, which, if blown into, will summon your future demise. Sounds like Final Destination meets Ouija. Fun! Terrifying! Orchestral! This Fantastic Fest debut promises to freak you out and possibly deter you from ever picking up a wind instrument again.* — Shannon Connellan, Senior Editor

Starring: Sophie Nélisse, Nick Frost, Michelle Fairley, Dafne Keen, Sky Yang, Jhaleil Swaby, Ali Skovbye, and Percy Hynes White

How to watch: Whistle debuts on Shudder May 8.

10. Remarkably Bright Creatures

Shelby Van Pelt's bestselling novel Remarkably Bright Creatures comes to Netflix this May, bringing with it the sweet story of an unlikely friendship. On one side of the friendship? Tova Sullivan (Sally Field), a widow who works as a cleaner at a local aquarium. On the other side? Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina), a giant Pacific octopus whose tank Tova cleans. The pair's unlikely bond brings joy to Tova's life, as does her burgeoning connection with her younger coworker, Cameron (Lewis Pullman). Expect this one to tug at your heartstrings.* — B.E.

Starring: Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Colm Meaney, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Sofia Black-D’Elia, and Alfred Molina

How to watch: Remarkably Bright Creatures debuts on Netflix May 8.

9. Touch Me

Here's a comedy for those who've become addicted to a beau who's bad for you. This horror comedy from writer/director Addison Heimann begins with best friends Craig (Jordan Gavaris) and Joey (Olivia Taylor Dudley), who know that her ex is bad news. But even though he's cringe, he's irritably alluring. No, like, he's an extraterrestrial narcissist whose touch is like heroin.

Weird and wild, Touch Me is the kind of comedy that's perfect for a movie night in with friends. Well, as long as your friends are weirdos too. — K.P.

Starring: Olivia Taylor Dudley, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jordan Gavaris, Marlene Forte, Paget Brewster, Ashley Lauren Nedd, JJ Phillips, Yumarie Morales, and Eli Lucas

How to watch: Touch Me is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

8. The Terror: Devil in Silver

AMC's supernatural horror anthology season returns with Season 3 in the form of The Terror: Devil in Silver.

Adapted from Victor LaValle's novel, The Devil in Silver this season stars Dan Stevens as Pepper, who once dreamed of rock star glory as a drummer for a heavy metal band called Rhino. But in middle age, he's a blue-collar nobody with violent outbursts, whose life is thrown into spin when he's wrongfully committed to an asylum called the New Hyde Psychiatric Hospital. There, he'll confront his own flaws, and an evil he can't explain. — K.P.

Starring: Dan Stevens, Judith Light, CCH Pounder, and Stephen Root

How to watch: The Terror: Devil in Silver is now streaming on AMC+ and Shudder.

7. The Bear, "Gary" Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in "The Bear." Credit: FX

While you wait for FX to serve up Season 5 of The Bear, which is due in June, take a nibble on "Gary," a surprise stand-alone episode that dropped May 5. Written by and starring Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal, the flashback episode follows Mikey (Bernthal) and Richie (Moss-Bachrach) along on a work trip to Gary. 

SEE ALSO: 'The Bear's 'Gary' cliffhanger explained: What just happened to Richie?

The episode begins as a solid slice-of-life outing, full of pickup basketball trash talk and a sweet conversation with a hot dog restaurant owner. Quickly, though, it devolves into a self-indulgent trauma fest, complete with yet another unconvincing The Bear romance and a wild cliffhanger that sets up The Bear Season 5. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Jon Bernthal, Marin Ireland, and Gillian Jacobs

How to watch: "Gary" is now streaming on Hulu.

6. RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Season 11

Racers, start your engines, and gear up for the summer's most fabulous smackdown.

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 11 pits 18 of Drag Race's fiercest queens against one another in the same battle bracket format that made Season 10 such a refreshing series reset. The cast mixes returning All Stars competitors with new blood, setting the stage for some juicy face-offs. Please, Drag Race gods, send me a lip sync between Kennedy Davenport and Morphine Love Dion! — B.E.

Starring: RuPaul, Michelle Visage, A'keria C. Davenport, Dawn, Lucky Starzzz, Morgan McMichaels, Morphine Love Dion, Mystique Summers, April Carrión, Crystal Methyd, Salina Estitties, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Vivacious, Hershii LiqCour-Jeté, Joey Jay, Kennedy Davenport, Sam Star, and Shuga Cain

How to watch: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 11 premieres on Paramount+ on May 8.

5. The Drama

Between The Drama and Euphoria, it's a big year for Zendaya and disastrous onscreen weddings. One of the buzziest films of 2026 so far, The Drama pairs Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a seemingly perfect engaged couple named Emma and Charlie. In the days leading up to their wedding, the couple — prompted by friends Rachel (Alana Haim) and Mike (Mamoudou Athie) — confess the worst things they've ever done. Emma's admission leaves jaws dropped, and Charlie in a spiral.

What follows is a harrowing interrogation of Emma and Charlie's relationship and how people perceive it. While Zendaya and Pattinson are tremendous, Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko was less impressed with writer/director Kristoffer Borgli's execution, writing in her review (which, fair warning, contains spoilers should you want to go into the film blind), "But much like [Borgli's prior film] Dream Scenario, his actors give more than his undercooked script deserves." — B.E.

Starring: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Mamoudou Athie, Alana Haim, Hailey Gates, and Zoë Winters

How to watch: The Drama is now available to rent or purchase on Prime Video.

4. Lord of the Flies

A new miniseries from Adolescence co-writer Jack Thorne, based on William Golding's legendary novel Lord of the Flies? Count us in. Following a group of school boys who are forced to survive on a deserted island after their plane crashes, this new adaptation is every bit as brutal as the 1954 book. Expect coming-of-age friendships, rivalries, and a piercing exploration of just how quickly society can fall apart when things enter life-or-death territory. — Sam Haysom, General Assignment Editor, UK

Starring: Winston Sawyers, Lox Pratt, David McKenna, and Ike Talbut

How to watch: Lord of the Flies is now streaming on Netflix.

SEE ALSO: 'Lord of the Flies' ending, explained: How does it compare to the book? 3. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

In this direct sequel to Ready or Not, Samara Weaving reprises the the role of the Grace Le Domas (née MacCaullay), who was recently widowed when a deal with the devil went sideways for her in-laws. But they're not the only ultra-rich families who've struck such an agreement. And now, a new lot of affluent and armed antagonists are on the hunt for round two. At least this time, Grace gets a Player 2 in her estranged sister (Kathryn Newton).

In my review out of SXSW, I cheered the bonkers fun that the filmmaking team known as Radio Silence brings to this sequel. Particularly shouting out Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy for bringing mesmerizing menace as a pair of toxic twins, I concluded, "Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is a winner when it comes to being a totally batshit good time." — K.P.

Starring: Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, David Cronenberg, and Elijah Wood

How to watch: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is now available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

2. Send Help

Sam Raimi, the gnarly mind behind the Evil Dead trilogy, brings his distinctive brand of horror comedy to this sensational and gloppy survival thriller.

Rachel McAdams stars as a mild-mannered office worker who gets stranded on a desert island with her jerk of a boss, played by Dylan O'Brien. Lucky for him, she's obsessed with Survivor, and actually knows how to stay alive in such extreme circumstances. Lucky for us, she's got a mean streak that really blooms in this tropical paradise.

In my review for the film's theatrical release, I wrote, "This was an incredible viewing experience; Raimi took me back to being a kid again, watching Evil Dead 2 on VHS and squealing at the sheer outrageousness of it all. All these years later, I'm much harder to shock — and yet he did it again. Watching Send Help, my stomach churned, my jaw dropped, my eyes bulged, and I threw my hands over my face a few times to guard from the gross explosion on screen. Then I walked out cackling and giddy, because Send Help is not just one of the grossest movies I've seen in the last decade. It's also a rip-roaring, no-fucks-to-give good time." —K.P.

Starring: Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien

How to watch: Send Help is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

Best of streaming this week: The Other Bennet Sister

Jane Austen-adjacent series The Other Bennet Sister premiered in the UK earlier this year to acclaim. Now, U.S. audiences can catch it on BritBox — and if you love Pride and Prejudice, you absolutely should.

Based on Janice Hadlow's book of the same name, this sweet Regency romance reimagines Pride and Prejudice — and beyond — through Mary Bennet's (Ella Bruccoleri) eyes. Bookish and a bit of a know-it-all, Mary is always overlooked by her family and by suitors. However, when she gets a chance to visit London, she'll set off on an endearing journey of self-discovery. Boasting a charming lead performance from Bruccoleri, as well as a swoon-worthy new love interest in Dónal Finn's Tom Hayward, The Other Bennet Sister is a delectable spring TV treat. — B.E.

Starring: Ella Bruccoleri, Ruth Jones, Richard E. Grant, Maddie Close, Poppy Gilbert, Grace Hogg-Robinson, Molly Wright, Indira Varma, Richard Coyle, and Varada Sethu

How to watch: The Other Bennet Sister premieres on BritBox on May 6.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.

TL;DR: A refurbished 2020 MacBook Air for $289.99 (reg. $999) delivers solid everyday performance and seamless Apple ecosystem integration.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 2020 (Refurbished) $289.99
$999 Save $709.01   Get Deal

Have you been thinking about getting a MacBook? This is the kind of sale price that makes you stop scrolling.

The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is going for $289.99 (reg. $999), and for most people, it checks the boxes that actually matter. Not maxed-out specs, but real-world usability.

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You’re getting a 10th-gen Intel Core i3, 8GB of RAM, and a fast 128GB SSD. That translates to smooth performance for everyday tasks — think browsing, email, Google Docs, streaming, and juggling multiple tabs without everything slowing to a crawl. It’s not built for heavy video editing or gaming, but that’s not what most people are buying a MacBook Air for anyway.

It also still shines in the overall experience. The 13.3-inch Retina display is sharp and easy on the eyes, with True Tone helping adjust to your environment. The Magic Keyboard is comfortable (and a big step up from older models), and Touch ID keeps logins quick and secure.

Battery life still holds up for a full day of light to moderate use, and the lightweight design makes it easy to carry around — whether you’re commuting, working from a coffee shop, or just moving from room to room.

And if you’re already using an iPhone or AirPods, this fits right in. AirDrop, iMessage, FaceTime — it all works seamlessly without any setup headaches.

It is refurbished (Grade B), so you might see minor cosmetic wear, but nothing that affects performance.

Don’t miss getting this quality refurbished MacBook Air while it’s $289.99 (reg. $999) and still in stock.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Even though a single viral moment can seem like a fast track to fame, the internet's fickle nature rarely turns one video into a lasting career. Creator Kelsey Impicciche knows that "overnight success" is usually years in the making, with a little fun along the way.

"Everyone says overnight success takes 10 years, and that's 100 percent what happened with me," Impicciche said when we sat down with her at BookCon 2026. Impicciche, a creator with over 1 million YouTube subscribers, has also added author to her resume with the 2026 release of her debut novel, The Voice of the Ocean.

We sat down with Impicciche to talk about the video that started it all and balancing life as a creator and author.

Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Adobe Stock/Electronic Arts/Blackstone Publishing Mashable: What was your experience in gaining a following? Was there one video that took off, or was it a gradual incline?

Kelsey Impicciche: I started in content creation as a side thing because I was an actor in Los Angeles and wasn't getting a ton of auditions, especially ones that were challenging. So in the interim, I wanted something creative that I could own.

I just started posting online once a week to give myself something to do. I started from zero subscribers on YouTube and worked my way up, getting more opportunities until someone asked if I wanted to apply to be an intern at BuzzFeed. I gained a couple of thousand subscribers on my channel at that point, applied, and got it. Then I worked at BuzzFeed for a year and a half, and that's when my most viral video happened.

So I had been working on YouTube for like two, maybe even three years at that point, and had put out so many videos before I had this, like, mega-viral hit that everyone knows me from.

I remember the day it happened, too. It was the "100 Baby Challenge," where I played The Sims 4 and had one Sim who was supposed to have 100 babies [in one lifetime]. It was Christmas break, and I was on leave, but everyone at the office was texting me, like, "We've got to go back in and make more of these, because everyone's loving them." I had pitched the video as a joke because I was in between other projects, and I thought it would be funny. I really didn't think anyone would see it. That's always when magic happens, when you're having fun, you're not taking it too seriously, but you also really do know the audience. The cultivation of that title came from so many different videos that I had done up until that point that had done well, so this title has all the little ingredients that I know people gravitate toward. It happened to be this magical little concoction.

Was that the moment you felt like you had made it as a content creator?

There were so many moments along the way. The first audition was when they brought me in because I was a content creator, and I think I only had a couple of hundred subscribers at that point. And then when I first got the job at BuzzFeed, that really felt like I'd made it. Even just as an intern, I had my literal dream job making content.

Until the Sims video, I'd never put myself alone in a video. I'd always put myself surrounded by other people. I always felt like I wasn't funny or interesting enough to carry the whole video by myself. It felt like nobody knew who I was. But with that video, I was the only one who knew the challenge and knew the game well enough to play it, so I had to cast myself. It was a confidence booster, like, I don't need to be surrounded by funnier comics. I can stand alone here.

And when did writing a book come into your career?

With the internet, I feel like you have to just find your niche and stay there. kind of thing. So it's interesting that people think that [writing] came out of nowhere. But for me, I've been obsessed with books since I was a child, and that was actually my dream job. I went to college planning to write, but then took a swerve into acting. It's funny that you sometimes hide these pieces of yourself on the internet. At the end of the day, it's all storytelling.

When writing really kicked off was in the middle of COVID, and I was bored. I had so much downtime and felt really lonely. An email came across my desk from work, offering a creative writing workshop by one of the writers on staff. It was as if this dream deferred, bloomed inside of me.

So my first novel, Voice of the Ocean, was just me alone. It was a message in a bottle that I just flung into the universe, hoping someone would see it someday.

Over time, I realized BookTok was taking off, too, and my two worlds didn't have to be so separate. It's very similar to the plot of Voice of the Ocean, with the feeling of being pulled between two worlds. You can embody more than one thing online, so it was so exciting to start bringing books into my content and seeing how many girls who love games also love books.

Opens in a new window Credit: Blackstone Publishing 'The Voice of the Ocean' by Kelsey Impicciche $27.95 at Bookshop.org
$29.99 Save $2.04   Shop Now How are you balancing writing with content creation?

Not well. I wish there were magically more time. I always remind myself to try to do it even when I'm tired. Sometimes it is a job, and you have to show up. But I still feel like the luckiest gal in the world every time I feel a little down on my energy, or I feel like I don't have enough time. I have to be like, "Dude, you're pinching yourself. This is the coolest experience ever." But I think the big thing for me is segmenting writing into many to-do lists, making sure I break each task into smaller ones. That way, I keep everything moving.

Have you embraced being an author in your content?

I'm still trying to strike that balance of showing up for all the people who love the Sims, introducing a new world to everybody, and showing up for the people who really love the book. It's hard. A lot of people suggest making separate accounts for everything. And for some people, that works, but I'm balancing the two on one channel. I think it might be the harder path, but it's really rewarding.

How do you feel about readers being in writers' spaces and vice versa?

I definitely think readers deserve their space and the ability to talk comfortably about a book without being beholden to authors. When I first started reading, I never felt like I had to take care of the writer's feelings. The book is for the reader. It's not for me [as the author], right? Like it might have been once, right, when I was writing it, but once you put it out in the world, all art is for its consumer. That's a magical part of it; the consumer can have whatever experience they're having.

But I do think it is quite hard because I'm also a fan of books and authors, and I'm also a content creator. So I've tried to walk that line where I'm not gonna be here to review books. I might talk about what I'm enjoying, but I always keep a positive spin on it.

I think it makes sense for readers to keep their own space while also not inviting me into it. If you want to see something sassy about me, that's totally fine, but please don't tag me.

What's next for you as an author and a content creator?

I have some really exciting stuff coming up in both fields. I'm writing the sequel to my duology. The first book is in edits right now. Hopefully, a title and a release date are somewhere on the horizon. I'm just so excited to be able to share all of this with readers and viewers alike, and to engage with people who share my passions.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, May 7, 2026:

AcrossA-___ (top-quality)

• The answer is One.

B-___ (decent grade)

• The answer is Plus.

C-___ (group of execs)

• The answer is Suite.

Fails to be

• The answer is Isn't.

Nonbinary pronoun

• The answer is They.

DownThe center, guards and tackles on an N.F.L. team, for short

• The answer is Oline.

Like the taste of browned butter

• The answer is Nutty.

Language suffix

• The answer is Ese.

Helpful label by a door handle

• The answer is Push.

Get into a lotus pose, perhaps

• The answer is Sit.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.

Take the audio survey.

Here at Mashable, we’re always trying out the latest tech products to help our readers determine whether or not they’re worth it. But now, we want to hear from you about the products you use and love. In this edition of our Readers’ Choice Awards, we’re asking you about the audio gear you use in your daily life, including headphones and earbuds, speakers, and soundbars.

So, take a few minutes to fill out our audio survey. Your thoughts and feedback might just grant your favorite devices a Mashable Readers’ Choice Award — plus you could win a $250 Amazon gift card.

We’ll be running this survey until May 10, 2026, and then we’ll crunch the numbers to see which headphones/earbuds, speakers, and soundbars you all deem the best.

How to enter

There are two methods to enter the Sweepstakes: (1) fill out the online survey, or (2) enter by mail.

1. Survey Entry: To enter the Sweepstakes through the online survey, go to the survey page and complete the current survey during the Sweepstakes Period.

2. Mail Entry: To enter the Sweepstakes by mail, on a 3 x 5-inch card, print your first and last name, street address, city, state, zip code, phone number, and email address. Mail your completed entry to:

Readers' Choice Sweepstakes - Audio
c/o M. Kern
360 Park Ave South, Floor 17
New York, NY 10010

Mail Entries must be postmarked by May 11, 2026, and received by May 17, 2026. For official sweepstakes rules and promotion start and end dates, please click HERE.

Nintendo is remaking Star Fox 64, reviving the retro gaming classic for the Nintendo Switch 2. Announced during a surprise Nintendo Direct livestream on Wednesday, Star Fox will not only upgrade the graphics, but also add new features updating it for modern gamers.

Also known as Lylat Wars, Star Fox 64 is a 1997 rail shooter developed for Nintendo 64. Playing as humanoid fox Fox McCloud, players defend the fictional Lylat star system by shooting down enemies and dodging obstacles in his spaceship. Star Fox 64 was a significant hit that is still fondly remembered today — and also spawned the classic meme "do a barrel roll."

Now Fox McCloud is back in Star Fox, sporting "a more animal-like design" alongside fellow Star Fox team members Falco Lombardi, Peppy Hare, and Slippy Toad.

"Star Fox is based on the Nintendo 64 game Star Fox 64, but the visuals have been completely updated," said Nintendo senior executive officer Yoshiaki Koizumi, speaking via a translator during the prerecorded livestream. "All of the characters in the game have also been redesigned."

Nintendo states that level layouts will be the same as in Star Fox 64, and that the banter between the Star Fox team is returning. Star Fox 64's vehicles are back too, with players able to pilot the Landmaster land vehicle, Blue-Marine submersible, and Fox McCloud's trusty Arwing spaceship. And yes, it will be able to do a barrel roll.

Credit: Nintendo Credit: Nintendo

The remake does make a few changes though, with new mission briefing cutscenes placed between stages to flesh out the story. Star Fox will have online multiplayer and matchmaking too, allowing players to work in teams and compete against each other remotely. The game will still have local co-op, but rather than the split-screen days of yore, players will be able to share Star Fox from a Nintendo Switch 2 to other local Switch devices via the GameShare.

Interestingly, Star Fox will let players split pilot and gunner controls for a single vehicle if they so choose, which seems like a handy co-op option for getting younger children involved. Players can also use a Joy-Con 2 controller like a mouse for more precise targeting, or go completely old-school with a Nintendo 64 controller.

Star Fox offers character avatars in the Switch 2's GameChat as well. This feature tracks players' head and face movements via webcam, animating characters to match it in real time and displaying this to others using Nintendo's voice and video chat system.

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Reaction to Nintendo's announcement has been mixed. While some are excited about the prospect of a new game in the Star Fox franchise, others have criticised the hyperrealistic look of its anthropomorphic animal characters, or bemoaned the fact that it's a remake instead of a new original game in the series.

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This isn't Nintendo's first Star Fox 64 remake. The company previously remade the game for Nintendo 3DS in 2011, entitled Star Fox 64 3D. Then in 2016, the Japanese gaming giant released Wii U reboot Star Fox Zero. A decade later, a new version of Star Fox 64 is now on its way, and it won't be long to wait.

Star Fox launches on June 25 for $49.99, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. Pre-orders are open now.

AI adoption on teams often fails because of how people experience it. If you want your team to embrace new tools, you need more than a strategy—you need empathetic leadership that understands concerns, builds trust, and involves people in the process. Co-create AI strategies. Don’t announce sweeping AI changes and expect adoption. Instead, involve your […]

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The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're an NBA fan.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for May 7, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Big catch

• Green: Many

• Blue: A sports no-no

• Purple: Ascend and descend

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Fishing gear

• Green: Multitude

• Blue: Commit a basketball infraction

• Purple: Controlled with up/down buttons

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1061 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Fishing gear: FLY, HOOK, LINE, NET

• Multitude: DROVE, HOST, MASS, PACK

• Commit a basketball infraction: CARRY, DOUBLE-DRIBBLE, GOALTEND, TRAVEL

• Controlled with up/down buttons: CAR WINDOW, CHANNEL, ELEVATOR, VOLUME

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 7, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you always ask for permission.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 7, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Go right ahead!

The words are related to permission.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe being allowed.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Give the Nod.

NYT Strands word list for May 7

• Approve

• Permit

• Sanction

• Give the Nod

• Allow

• Bless

• License

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're always on the move.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 7, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for May 7, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To move.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

BUDGE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

Apple has reached a $250 million settlement in a lawsuit that accused the company of exaggerating Apple Intelligence's intelligence.

The suit claimed that Apple misled iPhone users about Apple Intelligence, the company's suite of AI tools, before and after the launch of the iPhone 16 in Sep. 2024. The settlement filing states that U.S. shoppers who bought certain iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025 may qualify to receive a portion of the $250 million settlement.

Multiple class-action suits were filed over Apple Intelligence marketing before being combined into a single action. According to the May 5 filing with a U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California, both parties in the case have now agreed to settle.

Once a judge approves the agreement, qualifying Apple customers will be able to receive payments between $25 to $95.

As is typical in class-action settlements, Apple has not admitted any wrongdoing. The company defended itself in a statement sent to the New York Times: "We resolved this matter to stay focused on doing what we do best, delivering the most innovative products and services to our users."

Why was Apple sued in the first place?

When ChatGPT burst onto the tech scene in 2022, it ignited a global AI arms race. While companies like Google have been able to release competitors to ChatGPT, Tim Cook's company staked out a cautious position on the sidelines.

In 2024, Apple launched its own AI tools under the banner of Apple Intelligence. Early marketing for Apple Intelligence highlighted a variety of use cases, such as writing emails and a more conversational, intelligent Siri.

The lawsuit states that Apple promised iPhone shoppers "enhanced Siri features" and advanced AI capabilities, and that its failure to deliver violated consumer protection laws.

Apple's stalled work on an AI version of Siri has been one of the biggest ongoing stories in the tech industry in recent years. The company is expected to finally release the updated Siri at the WWDC 2026 event in June, two years behind schedule.

In short, the suit claims that Apple oversold customers on AI features that weren't even built, and that remain undelivered today.

"We are proud to secure a historic settlement on behalf of consumers who should feel confident and protected when deciding where to spend their hard-earned dollars," said Ryan Clarkson, founder and managing partner of Clarkson Law Firm, one of the firms involved in the class-action case. "We are at an inflection point with AI, and the choices companies and regulators make now will shape how this technology impacts everyday people."

Clarkson told Mashable that "the balance of power between ordinary consumers and rich and powerful corporations" may depend on lawsuits like this, at least "until the political gridlock is cleared in Washington." He called out companies like Apple for "mandatory arbitration provisions buried in pages of so-called terms of service that avoid accountability, shut the courthouse doors, and force individuals to assert low-dollar claims in secret tribunals outside the public eye."

What iPhone models are included in the class-action settlement?

The agreement stipulates that shoppers who reside in the U.S. and purchased iPhones with Apple Intelligence features between June 2024 and March 2025 may be eligible for compensation. The phones named in the agreement include:

• iPhone 16

• iPhone 16e

• iPhone 16 Plus

• iPhone 16 Pro

• iPhone 16 Pro Max

• iPhone 15 Pro

• iPhone 15 Pro Max

Typically, class-action settlements like this require approval from a judge. Notices will go out automatically to many customers, and a settlement website will be created with additional information on consumers' rights in the case.

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What a difference an inch makes.

That was my first thought on using the Paper Pure, the new entry-level e-ink tablet offering from Remarkable. And it's been my thought several times since, whenever I surprised myself by reaching for the Pure to write my daily journal when its pricier cousins were right there.

Remarkable is the Norwegian e-ink tablet maker behind the A4-sized Remarkable Paper Pro (from $579) and the reporters' notebook-sized Remarkable Paper Pro Move. Until now, the company has offered the $399 Remarkable 2 (originally released in 2020) as its entry-level e-ink tablet. And in some respects, the Paper Pure is a Remarkable 2 in new clothing.

Family portrait: The new Remarkable Paper Pure, center, flanked by the Paper Pro (L) and Paper Pro Move (R). Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

The size of the screen itself, 11 inches, is identical to the Remarkable 2. As with the Remarkable 2, the Paper Pure offers no backlight or color e-ink (if either are necessities for you, go directly to our Paper Pro, Paper Pro Move, or Kindle Colorsoft Scribe reviews).

The Marker stylus included at that $399 price point is the improved version also used on the Paper Pro models. You can pay more for one with a physical eraser on one end — the Marker Plus (which will set you back $40 more as part of a bundle that also includes a Sleeve Folio). But if you care about that rather than the on-screen eraser tool, you're probably in the market for a pricier e-ink tablet.

Likewise, if latency is important (that is, the gap between the stylus hitting the screen and ink appearing), the Paper Pure is a tiny step down from its pricier brethren — a 21 millisecond gap rather than 12 milliseconds on the Paper Pro models.

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The Paper Pure feels lighter than air The plastic back of the Remarkable Paper Pure: Not cheap, super light. Credit: Remarkable

But what the Paper Pure lacks in bells and whistles, it makes up for in sheer usability. If you're new to the whole concept of e-ink tablets — the pen-on-paper-like notepads that are easy on your eyes, easy to use in sunlight, and in the style of a Kindle — then the Pure is the best place to start. If you're a power user who can afford both, the Pure may be the one you feel comfortable throwing into your work bag while keeping a Pro at home.

Part of that sense of usability is the weight difference. Not to weight-shame, but at 360 grams (0.79 lbs), the Paper Pure is 44 grams (1.55 ounces) lighter than the Remarkable 2 — even as the Remarkable 2 is a hair's-breadth slimmer than the Pure.

Does that make a difference? Heck yeah, it does, and your wrist will thank you. There's not even the mildest clenching of tendons in your forearm when your hand holds a Pure, the way you might be used to clenching when picking up a regular tablet. For comparison, the latest 11-inch iPad Air is 1.02 lbs (462g). The Paper Pure is the kind of tablet for which the designation "air" really makes sense.

Fortunately, you don't have to sacrifice much in the way of performance. The new e-ink tablet actually has double the RAM and four times the storage of its admittedly aged predecessor (2GB and 32GB, respectively).

Side view: Look at the lovely round edges. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

How did Remarkable achieve this lightness? It's largely in the housing; the Remarkable 2 used brushed aluminum for its backside, and the Paper Pure uses plastic. But the Paper Pure's plastic back doesn't feel cheap. In fact, it feels a tad more welcoming. The metal back on the Remarkable 2 and the Paper Pro both feel cold to the touch; the Pure is more like room temperature.

More weight has been shed by the decision to not include a connector for the Folio keyboard, which you could get as an extra for the Remarkable 2. To my mind, this is no great loss; I've had the Folio for years, and can count on one hand the number of times I've used it for any length of time. Typing is not the point on an e-ink tablet; handwriting (which can convert to text) and sketching are the point.

When you do need to type — and it is nice to have the option to go back and forth — I've found that the on-screen keyboard is enough. If you're typing all the time, maybe what you're looking for is a laptop, or an iPad with a Magic Keyboard, rather than an e-ink tablet. The refresh rate on e-ink is a perpetual problem, and it's always going to make typing seem slower than we're used to.

The Paper Pure is a little bit shorter Old vs. new: The Remarkable 2 (left) and the Remarkable Paper Pure. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

Then there's that other crucial difference in form factor: height. The Pure is like a Remarkable 2, but roughly an inch shorter (8.9 in. vs 9.7 in., to be exact). It also has notably rounder edges, which is the kind of thing design nerds care about, but they do combine with the height and weight differential to make the Pure feel ... well, in a word, friendlier.

The battery life is also friendlier. Remarkable says a single charge lasts three weeks in the Paper Pure. That's the kind of claim it's hard to test for a launch-day review, but I have no reason to doubt it. Certainly, the Pure lasts longer than the Paper Pro and the Paper Pro Move, but in my experience, both tend to turn on at the slightest bag jostle, burning through battery life with that backlight.

Do you need a backlight, anyway? I thought I did, for end-of-day journal writing. But increasingly, research shows that any bright light at night (not just the blue light from regular LCD displays) can wake our brains up just when they're supposed to be going to sleep. After a few bouts of insomnia coincided with Paper Pro use, I've decided the Pure and a dimmed bedside lamp are all I really need at the end of the day.

The Remarkable Paper Pure Folio case — a good dust-catcher Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

And what about the Paper Pure versus the even smaller Paper Pro Move, which I rhapsodized about last year? I still love my Move, especially the ability to toss it in almost any jacket pocket. When packing for trips, when space is at a premium, the Move is the Remarkable I'll reach for. It's great for privacy, too, and it's the Remarkable to use on a plane with a nosy seatmate (or at a press conference).

Still, most of us aren't exactly secret agents, and the Move has turned out to be a little too small for many real-life use cases. Over time, I have noticed my handwriting looks significantly worse on the Move, compared to Remarkable devices with larger screens, and that my posture gets worse as I use it, peering at the smaller screen.

But with the Paper Pure, it feels more like you're toting around a kind of short-but-cheerful clipboard. (For this reason, I never saw a need to put the Pure inside its Folio sleeve case.) I can also see doctors using it while doing their hospital rounds if, for example, they can't afford to let their handwriting suffer on the Move. Or I can imagine pulling it out at a regular conference room meeting, without derailing the meeting with questions about your snazzy device (the downside of light and color on the Pro devices: they often attract attention.)

The verdict: An impressive e-ink tablet with a great price

The Remarkable Paper Pure is your workhorse e-ink tablet. Or if you prefer a horse racing analogy, the Pure is an excellent jockey — a job where being a couple of ounces lighter and an inch shorter can make all the difference.

You can order the Remarkable Paper Pure starting May 6 for $399 at the Remarkable online store. You can purchase a Sleeve Folio case for $69.

Opens in a new window Credit: Remarkable Remarkable Paper Pure $399 at Remarkable
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The world has no shortage of Pride and Prejudice adaptations.

On top of screen adaptations like the 1995 miniseries and the 2005 film (as well as Netflix's upcoming movie), Jane Austen's enduring novel has spawned several spin-off books, like P.D. James' Death Comes to Pemberley, Amanda Grange's Mr. Darcy's Diary, and Janice Hadlow's The Other Bennet Sister. The latter is the source material for a miniseries that aired on BBC One earlier this year to critical and public acclaim. Now, The Other Bennet Sister has made its way to U.S. audiences via BritBox, and it's the perfect watch for any Austen head. If you love Pride and Prejudice (either the novel or its many reincarnations), then here are five reasons to make The Other Bennet Sister your next binge.

SEE ALSO: 2026 Summer TV preview: Every TV show you need to know about now 1. It revisits Pride and Prejudice through a fresh set of eyes.

The titular Bennet sister is Mary (Ella Bruccoleri), the Bennet family's bookish, occasionally scolding middle child. Her family, especially her mother (Ruth Jones), finds her plain and uninteresting, and therefore have all resigned themselves to the fact that she will never find a suitable match. Because of this, Mary spends much of her time as a wallflower. It's through her wounded eyes that we witness the events of Pride and Prejudice play out anew, from Lizzie's (Poppy Gilbert) first anger at Mr. Darcy's (Victor Pilard) rude comments to her rejection of Mr. Collins' (Ryan Sampson) marriage proposal.

Thankfully, The Other Bennet Sister doesn't just offer up a Pride and Prejudice rehash. (In fact, it speedruns the book in its first two episodes.) Instead, it gives Austen fans just enough hints at the broader story they know and love, while still centering Mary's outsider perspective. This approach leads to several moving reframes of book scenes. Remember when Mary sings horribly at a ball, much to Lizzie's disapproval? The Other Bennet Sister dives into why she's so intent on singing at this moment, and how awful she feels after Lizzie cuts her performance short. Scenes like these make you consider the book differently, while also letting the original stand on its own.

2. It will make you think differently about certain Pride and Prejudice characters.

The Other Bennet Sister won't just make you reevaluate the oft-shunned Mary's role in Pride and Prejudice. It will also prompt you to reconsider your ideas of some of the novel's most ridiculous or villainous characters.

SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'Pride and Prejudice' teaser has bewitched us

Take Mr. Collins, for instance. He's often an insufferable source of comic relief, and while The Other Bennet Sister still plays his fuddy-duddyness for laughs, it also proposes that he's fully aware of how much others disdain him. On top of generating empathy for him, The Other Bennet Sister also spends extra time on Charlotte Lucas' (Anna Fenton-Garvey) choice to marry him, and even tries to get inside the head of the icy Caroline Bingley (Tanya Reynolds). Could these reappraisals spark a new appreciation for these characters on your next Pride and Prejudice read-through?

3. It features a charming lead performance from Ella Bruccoleri...

In Bruccoleri's hands, Mary Bennet surges from the margins of Pride and Prejudice and into the spotlight with resounding success. She wrings heartbreak from the Bennets' constant dismissals of Mary and manages to turn Mary's pedantic corrections of the most minute details into timid moments of rebellion. When Mary corrects her mother on whether someone is coming "up" or "down" from London, she's really trying to assert power over the person who puts her down the most. Bruccoleri delivers each correction as if it's a surprise even to Mary, the words flying out of her before she's had the chance to think them through. (Granted, the character's most grating tendencies have been sanded down a bit for the adaptation, and I do sometimes wish they had let Mary be more conceited.)

Bruccoleri especially shines as The Other Bennet Sister moves to London, where Mary meets up with people who see her true value. Here, she undergoes a metamorphosis. Not a rom-com-style glow-up, but an opening of her mind and heart to others. It's a sweet arc that Bruccoleri charts with a winning openness, even when Mary herself struggles to close herself off.

4. ... and a swoon-worthy love interest in Dónal Finn's Tom Hayward.

One of the people who sees Mary's virtues immediately is Tom Hayward (Dónal Finn), a lawyer with a penchant for poetry. He may not be an actual Austen character, but he does make a fine addition to the canon of Regency romantic heroes.

Tom always appreciates Mary wholeheartedly and is willing to meet her at her level no matter the circumstance. In one serious scene, the pair discuss a potential future before Mary begins imitating the bird calls she hears around them. Undeterred, Tom joins right in. Their earlier conversation can wait! He also seeks to broaden her horizons. When she admits she doesn't like poetry because she can't feel the meaning of the words on the page, he organizes a private poetry performance in a secret garden dripping with lilacs. It's official: Romance isn't dead thanks to Tom Hayward, as well as Dónal Finn's charismatic performance in the role.

5. It's a more grounded Regency romance than Bridgerton.

No hate to Bridgerton, especially its spectacular fourth season, but sometimes you just want your Regency romance without the string quartet pop covers or fantastical costumes. Enter The Other Bennet Sister.

While I'm no expert on "historically accurate" aesthetics (nor do I believe a show needs accuracy to be good), The Other Bennet Sister's less elaborate balls and quieter costuming nicely match Mary's practicality. This isn't to say there is no fantasy. After all, one scene late in the season riffs on Colin Firth's Darcy's infamous lake scene. Yet for the most part, The Other Bennet Sister and its central romance succeed in their restraint: in Finn's longing delivery of each polite "Miss Bennet," in each lingering shot of Tom's forearms as he rolls up his sleeves. There's yearning to spare here, and The Other Bennet Sister weaves it expertly into Mary's tale of self-discovery to create a sweet spring TV treat.

The first three episodes of The Other Bennet Sister are now streaming on BritBox, with new episodes every Wednesday.