ArcaMax

Q. My ex just told me in one breath that he is getting married and then, with the next breath, invited me to the wedding. As good as we all get along, I was a little shocked -- and I really don’t want to go. Our daughter will be the flower girl and I’m concerned she may be uncomfortable. How do I decline the invitation without offending him?...Read more

Grandma is close at heart. Literally. And permanently.

A picture was in this morning’s paper of a young man proudly showing a tattoo of his beloved late grandma on his chest, along with a quote from her.

Sweet. Very, very sweet.

Naturally, with 11 grands, I ask myself, “What are the chances?”

At this stage of the game, the best I could...Read more

Money buys silence. Status buys patience … And reputation? Well, that buys second chances.

The following novels understand this all too well, and dismantle the privileged systems without mercy. Set among rehab centers built to protect the famous, towns that quietly adjusted to old crimes and communities governed by image and inheritance, ...Read more

CHICAGO — Planned Parenthood of Illinois has agreed to pay $500,000 following an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission into allegations that its white employees faced harassment and discrimination, according to the federal agency.

The EEOC investigated charges made by multiple employees and found “reasonable ...Read more

'PROJECT HAIL MARY'

Rated PG-13 for some thematic material and suggestive references.

What it’s about: An unassuming science teacher finds himself alone in space trying to save the world and befriending an alien.

The kid attractor factor: This sweet and heartwarming sci-fi epic appeals mostly to adults but might draw kids as well with its ...Read more

Q. I see my daughter every other weekend, and it's not enough. I saw her more often before I took my current job, but I now work the swing shift and get home at 11 p.m., Monday through Friday. I'm thinking about changing jobs to an 8-5, moving to another county, and then applying for full custody. Her mother can have every other weekend and see ...Read more

In this Age of Review and Return, almost 93% of all shoppers read reviews before making a purchase. Even though we review before we buy, we often return the purchase after it arrives.

There was a time when returns were a rarity. Oh, there were exceptions, but you had to face a stern clerk, who often consulted a stern manager. Now, you just ...Read more

That uniquely magical moment when a novel knocks you flat and makes you ask, “Did that really just happen?” The joy of reading a passage multiple times to revisit the delightful insanity that liberates the reader from their reality.

In "Cruelty Free," author Caroline Glenn delivers a number of these moments in a playfully sinister new ...Read more

Nikesha Elise Williams starts the prologue of "The Seven Daughters of Dupree" with a sentence so horrible readers will hope it’s a metaphor for something less unthinkable. And then, as though taking the hand of a reluctant child, Williams pulls her readers into the first chapter – and into a hair salon where we meet the first of seven women ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Planned Parenthood clinics in the Philadelphia area expect to lose $3.1 million in Medicaid revenue this year due to funding cuts under President Donald Trump’s signature spending plan.

The deficit puts thousands of low-income people who rely on Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania’s clinics at risk of losing access...Read more

'REMINDERS OF HIM'

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, strong language, drug content, some violent content, and brief partial nudity.

What it’s about: A young woman, fresh out of prison, tries to start a new life with the hopes of meeting her young daughter.

The kid attractor factor: This is an adult romantic melodrama, not much appeal for kids...Read more

For many months, I puzzled over why I couldn’t cry over my dad’s dementia. I even googled “why can’t I cry” to diagnose my condition, my inability to grieve the disappearance of his logic and memory.

My mom says when a loved one dies of a heart attack or in a car crash, the trauma is compacted. But our family’s grief was spread over...Read more

Q. My ex often says, "You never cared about me, and now you don't care about our daughter." We're divorced, but this comes up repeatedly. When she says it, I find myself defending how much I care — about her, about our child — and the truth is, I don't care about my ex anymore. That sounds harsh, but I have very clear boundaries. I do care ...Read more

I can catch a plane, a ball, a cold and the flu, but the one thing I can’t catch is home improvement skills.

I recently painted a small bathroom cabinet. The project took three days, not including 11 trips to the big box hardware store.

Meanwhile, on six different cable channels, people with home improvement skills ripped out small half-...Read more

What happens when your life falls apart? Not just once, but over and over again? When you’re constantly reminded of your mistakes? When there is no true way to atone for these mistakes?

In her first novel in over a decade, M.L. Stedman seeks to answer these questions in the epic family saga, "A Far-Flung Life."

The book centers on the ...Read more