ArcaMax

MINNEAPOLIS -- Teenagers are generally obsessed with their smartphones. So much so that Kristin Hatling’s family recently encountered a gaggle of them who had brought their screens into a resort’s hot tub.

“My daughter, who’s 11, was like, ‘Mom, all they’re doing is looking at their phones and, like, making kissy faces into them. ...Read more

'NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON'T'

Rated PG-13 for some strong language, violence and suggestive references.

What it’s about: The Horsemen, a group of high-stakes magicians, reunite with a new generation of aspiring magicians to pull off an international diamond heist.

The kid attractor factor: Kids might be drawn to the magic and illusions ...Read more

We look at paintings of that first Thanksgiving more than 400 years ago, with tables sagging under the weight of wild game, venison, waterfowl, lobster and mussels, corn, beans and pumpkins We often sigh and say, “Life was so simple back then.”

It was simple. Life was so simple that heat in homes came from logs crackling in a fireplace. ...Read more

Q. Even though my divorce has been final for a year, I sometimes like to spend the day with my ex and the kids. Not taking the chance of her saying no, I put the children first and ask the kids how they would feel if I came along. They say it’s fine, so then I tell their mother that I’d like to come along, and the kids want me to. I can tell...Read more

From a remote Italian village where a chance reunion bridges generations, to a sunlit California beach where a stranger’s kindness sparks a lifelong bond, "God Storys" offers an awe-inspiring odyssey through moments that defy mere coincidence.

In this compilation of 30 true-life vignettes, Victorya Wright shares her personal encounters with ...Read more

The story of Central Park stretches from its nineteenth-century origins — with an unlikely cast of colorful characters — to the experiences of some 42 million visitors each year, and no single book could encompass it. "Ten Thousand Central Parks: A Climate-Change Parable" nonetheless attempts the impossible. It seeks to uncover the layered ...Read more

'DIE MY LOVE'

Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, language, and some violent content.

What it’s about: A young mother experiences postpartum psychosis while living in a rural small town with her husband and baby.

The kid attractor factor: This is an intense and harrowing depiction of a mental health crisis, not any appeal for kids. ...Read more

I married a hottie. He loves the heat and the sun.

When the summer sun is scorching and most people hide inside to keep from flash frying, he goes outside to do yard work.

I tend toward the cool side. Some like it hot, some like it cold, and for some mysterious reason they tend to marry one another.

Our favorite pastime is playing endless ...Read more

Q. The kids’ dad has not set up the kids’ rooms in his apartment yet and it’s been 6 months. They are telling me they want to see their dad, but they are tired of sleeping on the floor. I think it’s finances. I don’t want them to stop seeing their dad, but I understand that they want a bed. What’s good ex-etiquette?

A. Most who ...Read more

Every nine years, the Game of Nines begins again. A cryptic letter arrives. A body turns up. And the killer dares the authorities to stop them before time runs out.

This is where "Game of Nines" by James Patterson and Max DiLallo sinks its hooks into listeners. It’s not just another serial killer story; it’s a psychological chess match ...Read more

We’ve all heard the phrase: You can’t change your stars. Wesley Farnsworth doesn’t argue with its sting — he remembers living under it. But his new book, "The Blueprint of Becoming: A Practical Guide to Faith, Failure, and Finding Your Way Forward," makes a persuasive case that the line is a lie we don’t have to keep believing.

With ...Read more

Therapy is expensive, TikTok advice is terrifying, and your obscurely named group chat is one bad breakup away from a meltdown. Whether you’re creatively blocked, romantically jaded, existentially bored, or convinced the world is one bad headline away from total collapse, books are cheaper than therapy and judgment-free.

BookTrib’s staff ...Read more