ArcaMax

When I was a little girl taking piano lessons, we lived in an old house with a dark, scary basement where mice frequently gathered and hosted parties.

Sometimes, mice ventured upstairs and hid behind the piano. When I began practicing, they would shoot out due to the horrible off-key sounds piercing their teeny, tiny, perfect-pitch sensitive ...Read more

Maybe I’m prejudiced. But isn’t that the right of anyone evaluating books? It’s about what you like. Or don’t.

In the case of author Jean Hanff Korelitz, I’m indeed prejudiced. That’s because "The Plot," her ingenious thriller in which a bestselling book becomes a matter of life or death, is one of my favorite reads of all time.

...Read more

The evidence surrounding physical activity is clear: It's critical to good health, helping to ward off obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even dementia. Federal guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, but stress that any movement is better than none at all.

What's less clear is what needs to...Read more

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? Love a good historical mystery? Pirates and hidden treasure? Swoon-worthy southern cuisine? Find your heart’s desires in "The Lafitte Affair" by Norman Woolworth.

Curmudgeonly antiques dealer Bruneau Ignatius Abellard is finishing his last bite of Eggs Sardou (poached eggs, spinach and artichokes...Read more

With more than 1,500 posts, “#mucinexdpregnancy” has become one of TikTok’s latest fads. To explain why the cough medicine trended as a fertility booster, OB-GYN Dr. Jessica Shepherd jumped online with “Good Morning America.”

“The reason why people think that this is going to be a way that’s going to help increase chances of ...Read more

Q. Halloween is always a problem. I want the kids to be with me and their dad wants them to be with him. I keep trying to tell him that the kids want to trick-or-treat with their friends, not in a neighborhood 30 minutes away, but he says they have friends near him, too. It’s so frustrating! Their dad never listens to me. What’s good ex-...Read more

'VENOM: THE LAST DANCE'

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, bloody images and strong language.

What it’s about: The third spin on the dance floor for Eddie Brock and his sassy symbiote sidekick sees them at Area 51 battling other aliens.

The kid attractor factor: It's a monster movie comic book character — some ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Every week, Caitlin Scuttio stops by Target and piles her cart with pureed food pouches for her 4-year-old and twin 18-month-olds sons.

In goes a 24-pack of unsweetened applesauce. Then a 24-pack of the fruit and veggie blend. And finally, the yogurt pouches for her oldest son's breakfast. "He'd eat six apple sauce pouches a day ...Read more

Q. My bonus daughter and I get along very well and many people who meet us just assume I am her mother. I believe I should always support her mother, so I am quick to correct the assumption. Even though she has never said anything, I can tell by my bonus daughter’s expression that she is disappointed by my clarification. Is it necessary to ...Read more

Work-related stress that stems from job strain and a perceived imbalance between effort and reward may raise the risk of developing an abnormal heart rhythm condition, new research suggests.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found adults in white-collar jobs in Canada who faced high levels of job strain and ...Read more

This is the third book by Bonnie Traymore that I have reviewed, and they just keep getting better. There’s no question in my mind that Traymore should be getting recognized as a prominent new voice in mystery fiction.

Like her earlier books, "The Bluff" is a deliciously twisted tale about marital infidelity, long-buried secrets and, of course...Read more

Most of us probably think we have a pretty good idea of what a "balanced diet" looks like. And a lot of us may be wrong.

"I don't love the term," which can give people an outdated or oversimplified idea of what healthy eating looks like, said Dr. Matthew Landry, an assistant professor of population health and disease prevention at the ...Read more

Whenever Richard Osman releases a murder mystery, readers know they are in for a clever, good time. In "We Solve Murders," (Pamela Dorman Books), Osman creates a wacky trio on the run from a Russian oligarch and a stream of anonymous assassins. When the bullets fly, Osman keeps his readers guessing about who the shooter is and who is the ...Read more

Although most research and attention focus on adults, children and adolescents suffer from chronic pain and mental health disorders in numbers as high as adults.

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics last month showed that a third of children younger than age 18 who have chronic pain also meet the criteria for anxiety disorder, while 1 in 8 ...Read more

'SMILE 2'

Rated R for strong bloody violent content, grisly images, language throughout and drug use.

What it’s about: The sequel to the surprise horror hit sees the smile demon infecting a mega-famous pop star.

The kid attractor factor: Teen audiences will be drawn to the horror flick, especially in spooky season, but no appeal for kids.

...Read more