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A stunning thriller from New York Times bestselling author, Jane Harper. Brothers Nathan and Bub meet for the first time in months at the remote fence line separating their cattle ranches in the outback. Their third brother, Cameron, lies dead at their feet. They return to Cameron’s ranch and to those left behind by his passing: his wife, his daughters, and his mother. Suspicion starts to take hold and Nathan is forced to examine secrets the family would rather leave in the past....

The boards would be made of five individuals, each appointed by the county for two-year terms. Members would be elected by local government officials, though onus falls upon library boards to notify their communities of said election. In other words, the parental oversight board would be appointed by local government, not anyone related to the library, though it’s the library’s responsibility to notify their patronage of said election. Determination of sexual content inappropriate for minors is, according to the House Bill: “any description or representation, in any form, of nudity, sexuality, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sadomasochistic abuse, that: (A) Taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest of minors; (B) Is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community with respect to what is appropriate material for minors; and (C) Taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors....

10. The Stand Clocking in at 47 hours and 52 minutes, The Stand will keep you busy for your longest holiday car rides. On top of that, narrator Grover Gardner’s somewhat gravelly reading voice really sets the tone for this post-apocalyptic horror novel. This version of the audiobook was released in 2012 with previously cut chapters and new material that King added to make the post-apocalyptic threat more current. Those additions might seem iffy to some who have not yet listened to this version, but reviews are generally favorable....

— See What’s Next (@seewhatsnext) February 28, 2019 The streaming service has ordered 10 episodes of a live-action reboot of Ann M. Martin’s beloved 1990s series, and as a ’90s kid myself, I was not the least bit surprised at the excited reactions popping up on social media. Kristy Thomas, Mary Anne Spier, Claudia Kishi, Stacey McGill and Dawn Schafer were some of my favourite characters growing up – I know I’m not the only one who wished I could pull off Claudia’s colourful outfits half as well as she did or who learned about the importance of insulin from Stacy’s life....

The estate is beautiful in its own right, but Jane Austen fans (and Colin Firth fans) will find it even more tempting, if a $7 million impulse purchase is in your realm of possibility. If it helps, the listing promises this is “not only a wonderful home and place to live but also a profitable Estate, with expanded farming, residential and commercial income streams.” Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books....

Of course, a few Marvel villains hit the big screen before Robert Downey Jr. made his debut as the MCU’s genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. Ian McKellen originated the live-action role of Magneto in 2000, and Galactus debuted in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, albeit in a much different form than his comic-book version. That’s not to say that the MCU has already jumped the shark when it comes to bad guys, however....

Whether you are looking to share your faith with the little ones in your life or are interested in learning more about the faith and stories behind Christianity, it’s tough to know where to start. It’s important to note that Christian encompasses a variety of traditions, but much of it has been white-washed. Here are a few of my favorite Bible story books for kids by authors of color that show that Bible stories can be interesting and relevant to read even today....

This list is limited to books published for children or middle grade readers, as our Best Books of 2021 piece has a fair number of YA picks included. We’ve pulled together a separate list of the best children’s books so they, too, can shine and do so alongside other standouts. Grab your to-be-read list and prepare to watch it grow as you dive into our picks for the best children’s books of 2021....

Step-mom Leigh Fletcher goes to work one day but then doesn’t come home. The family is left shattered with her disappearance. Kai Janssen leaves her glamorous penthouse one day and seemingly evaporates into thin air. Her wealthy husband is distraught. Detective Clements believes the disappearances of these women might be connected. But how far will she go to discover the shocking and devastating truth… Family secrets are something we never really tire of reading about....

Like so many readers, I grew up on her work, especially the Ramona books, which I read and reread until I practically had them memorized. But I drifted away from them as I got older, though I still kept my old copies around. I’m glad I did, because I reread the Ramona books after Clearly passed and was struck by not just how well they held up, but by how rewarding it was to read them again from the perspective of an adult, and how truly rich Cleary’s characterization was....

Fast forward to early 2019. Goodreads now has a companion smartphone app, but the site still looks much the same as it once did. Otis Chandler and Elizabeth, Khuri Chandler, the founders of the site, stepped down as CEO and Editor-in-Chief earlier this year and Veronica Moss—previously the Revenue & Operations Officer for Goodreads—took over as CEO. In a statement released earlier this year, Otis & Elizabeth stated that they “remain incredibly excited about the future of Goodreads....

I really, really hope they can, because Shang-Chi—who, to the best of my knowledge, has the longest-running solo series starring an Asian character in Western comics ever—deserves it. Once you get past the cringey pulp background and walking stereotype trappings of his ’70s origins, he’s a truly compelling and likable character, and very different from Marvel’s current “27 versions of Tony Stark” approach to protagonists. But I also hope they can because a huge number of the villains from his original series were absolutely bonkers, and I want to see these utterly ridiculous character designs in live action literally immediately....

Sounds ridiculous right? Then again, at baseline, what supervillain doesn’t? The nightmare lunacy is what makes them terrifying. The fact they couldn’t really exist but…but what if? Life is always a little more insane than we think it can be. Just when we think we’ve hit the limit, it turns out someone can take things a tiny bit further… The Joker is only a clown gone one step further. The Penguin is only a fetishist gone one step further....

I saw her and Oprah on the first stop of her book tour in Chicago and was smitten. I lucked out and got a signed copy of the book. I cried. And then I came home and read it in small gulps, afraid that if I read too quickly, I’d miss out on something gorgeous. It was the perfect book to read in small chunks right before bed. Even when she writes about the terrible, horrible things about this world, she finds a way to turn it into a place for progress....

Ed Indelicato, inspector with the Boston Police Department, first appeared in Wonder Woman #15–16. Indelicato and his funky hat briefly show up to try (and fail) to catch a criminal he’s been after. Despite working the same case, Indelicato and Wondy didn’t actually meet that day: their first interaction would have to wait until Issue 20, when they teamed up to solve the murder of Wonder Woman’s publicist. The investigation ended tragically, but Indelicato and Diana made a good team....

Twilight immediately garnered almost unprecedented passion from both fans and critics. There is legitimate criticism of the story, namely the problematic relationship dynamic between Edward and Bella (that some read as abusive) and the deeply appropriative depiction of Native American culture. However, much of the hatred of the Twilight series instead seemed geared toward calling teenage girls, and the things they love, stupid. Regardless, 15 years later, as a teacher I still see teenagers of all gender identities falling in love with reading through the Twilight series....

Love dark academia? There’s a stationery kit for you. Love bright, fun colors and patterns? There’s a kit for you, too. Florals? Animals? Something super basic? You’re covered. Find below a wide range of stationery kits. These come with a variety of pieces to them, including paper and envelopes, and some will include pens, envelope seals, stickers, and other related ephemera. The extras in many of these kits are perfect for scrapbooking or journaling, but they also make for great decor around your home or for a fun little bonus in whatever mail it is you may be sending....

Since learning of the adaptation — directed by André Øvredal and co-written and produced by del Toro — we’ve been gifted with four teaser trailers, which were already the stuff of nightmares. And now, CBS Films has released the full trailer. You should maybe watch it while the sun is still shining: Of all the things from my childhood to be brought back to life — Nancy Drew, DuckTales, those Polly Pocket Toys — this project brings me the most joy....

This holiday weekend, Wisconsin independent bookstore A Room of One’s Own will donate a percentage of their sales “to the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services [RAICES], a Texas-based organization that provides low-to-no-cost legal services to the people who are incarcerated in the immigrant camps run by the U.S. Border Patrol.” They’ve put out the call for other independent bookstores to join them in donating proceeds, and we are joining in, also....

2019 has some truly spine-tingling suspense novels to sink your teeth into. Everything from exciting debut authors to new releases from best-selling authors, these suspense titles will take readers to some new, unexpected places and hit readers with more twists and turns than you’ll ever see coming! We’re giving away a set of 8 top suspense novels fresh off the press! The Conspiracy by Kat Martin, What Doesn’t Kill Her by Christina Dodd, Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward, Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica, A Justified Murder by Jude Deveraux, A Dangerous Game by Heather Graham, The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton, and For Better And Worse by Margot Hunt....