Simon & Schuster strana 2 z 101

From the New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Girl Alive and Bright Young Women comes the highly anticipated, heart-pounding thriller with twists you'll never see coming… 'Dark, twisty, and wildly addictive. Helpless is Jessica Knoll at her boldest and most unsettling’ JENEVA ROSE ‘A dark, twisty and addictive read that you will struggle to put down’ LISA JEWELL ‘Horny, tender cabin fever noir… Completely addictive’ ABIGAIL DEAN Faye Heron has it all: beauty, a glittering Hollywood career and a powerhouse marriage to her producer husband. Her life is the kind most people can only dream of. When a beloved former college professor suddenly passes away, Faye is drawn back to campus, and back to Henry Spalding, the man she’s spent twelve years trying to forget. Henry was her first love, her most intense love. Their love was the kind that consumed… and that Faye chose to walk away from. Their reunion should be nothing more than a polite nod to the past. Instead, it awakens something dangerous. Henry is full of apologies for how they ended. But as Faye is pulled deeper into his orbit, she begins to wonder if she’s walking into something that she won’t be able to escape from this time. What starts as an innocent chance to reconnect unravels into a sinister game of obsession and control, one that forces Faye to confront the truth about their past and uncover a sprawling, years-old mystery. Because Henry isn’t just one of a kind. He’s the kind who doesn’t let go.

One of the Most Anticipated Books of 2025 Debutiful • LitHub • CrimeReads • LGBTQ Reads A “paranoid, self-annihilating” (Gretchen Felker-Martin, author of Manhunt and Cuckoo) horror debut following a woman who seeks refuge at an all-trans girl commune only to discover that demons haunt her fellow comrades—and she''s their next prey! Herculine’s narrator has demons. Sure, her life includes several hallmarks of the typical trans girl sob story—conversion therapy, a string of shitty low-paying jobs, and even shittier exes—but she also regularly debates sleep paralysis demons that turn to mist soon after she wakes and carries vials of holy oil in her purse. Nothing, though, prepares her for the new malevolent force stalking her through the streets of New York City, more powerful than any she’s ever encountered. Desperate to escape this ancient evil, she flees to rural Indiana, where her ex-girlfriend started an all-trans girl commune in the middle of the woods. The secluded camp, named after 19th-century intersex memoirist Herculine Barbin, is a scrappy operation, but the shared sense of community among the girls is a welcome balm to the narrator’s growing isolation and paranoia. Still, something isn’t quite right at Herculine. Girls stop talking as soon as she enters the room, everyone seems to share a common secret, and the books lining the walls of the library harbor strange cryptograms. Soon what once looked like an escape becomes a trap all its own. While trying to untangle the commune’s many mysteries, the narrator contends with disemboweled pigs, cultlike psychosexual rituals, and the horrors of communal breakfast. And before long, she discovers that her demons have followed her. And this time, they won’t be letting her go.

A New York Public Library and Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2025 Published to coincide with the hundredth anniversary of his birth, the first major study of Malcolm X’s influence in the sixty years since his assassination, exploring his enduring impact on culture, politics, and civil rights. Malcolm X has become as much of an American icon as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, or Martin Luther King. But when he was murdered in 1965, he was still seen as a dangerous outsider. White America found him alienating, mainstream African Americans found him divisive, and even his admirers found him bravely radical. Although Ossie Davis famously eulogized Malcolm X as “our own Black shining prince,” he never received the mainstream acceptance toward which he seemed to be striving in his final year. It is more in death than his life that Malcolm’s influence has blossomed and come to leave a deep imprint on the cultural landscape of America. With impeccable research and original reporting, Mark Whitaker tells the story of Malcolm X’s far-reaching posthumous legacy. It stretches from founders of the Black Power Movement such as Stokely Carmichael and Huey Newton to hip-hop pioneers such as Public Enemy and Tupac Shakur. Leaders of the Black Arts and Free Jazz movements from Amiri Baraka to Maya Angelou, August Wilson, and John Coltrane credited their political awakening to Malcolm, as did some of the most influential athletes of our time, from Muhammad Ali to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and beyond. Spike’s movie biopic and the Black Lives Matter movement reintroduced Malcolm to subsequent generations. Across the political spectrum, he has been cited as a formative influence by both Barack Obama—who venerated Malcolm’s “unadorned insistence on respect”—and Clarence Thomas, who was drawn to Malcolm’s messages of self-improvement and economic self-help. In compelling new detail, Whitaker also retraces the long road to exoneration for two men wrongfully convicted of Malcolm’s murder, making The Afterlife of Malcolm X essential reading for anyone interested in true crime, American politics, culture, and history.

For the first printing only! This paperback features sprayed edges while the special edition supply lasts. A girl who doesn’t know she’s in witness protection accidentally reveals her identity and puts her life in danger in this twisty upper middle grade thriller. For as long as Lydia can remember, it’s been her and her dad against the world. But while she loves him, her dad is so overprotective. Well-versed in the dangers of the internet from his job in cybersecurity, he refuses to let Lydia be online without heavy parental controls, and social media is out of the question. One day, when all Lydia’s friends are invited to a movie night at her crush’s house—except her because she’s not in the group chat—Lydia gets fed up with her dad’s rules and makes a social media account. Then an armed intruder shows up at her home. Clearly, there’s more to her family’s past than she knows. On the run and separated from her dad, Lydia will need to uncover the secrets her dad has been keeping if she wants to reunite with him. But how can Lydia know who to trust along the way when she doesn’t even know who she is?

From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Cuba: An American History comes a heartbreaking yet redemptive memoir about migration, separation, and the love of one family forcing its way through the fissures of history. In 1963, four years after Fidel Castro came to power, Ada Ferrer’s mother made the agonizing decision to flee Cuba with her infant daughter, Ada, and to leave behind her nine-year-old son, Poly. That moment was but a ripple in a much larger story of a world historical revolution. Yet, in another more intimate family history, that choice was a crossroads, ultimately inseparable from who and what they all became. In this beautiful memoir, Ferrer masterfully shifts between her roles as historian and family member, weaving a multigenerational tale that reaches into the past to understand the circumstances and choices that led to the present. We see key historical events through the eyes of the family: the grandmother who raised Poly after Ada’s departure, a Black woman born a year after the end of slavery in Cuba; Ada’s parents, forced to invent themselves anew in a foreign land; and two brothers left behind—Poly and another, once-secret brother named Juan José, both of whose lives were marked irrevocably by revolution and family separation. Moving between Cuba and the United States and then back again, the book unpacks the experience and emotion of migration, in the moment of separation and over the long-term, for those who left and those who stayed. Using a treasure trove of letters written across the gulf of family separation and found after the death of Ada’s parents, as well as government documents acquired through Freedom of Information Act requests, Ferrer offers us a profound reflection on belonging, memory, and the lasting imprint of history.

For fans of Ted Lasso and Welcome to Wrexham, this rollicking travel memoir by a middle-aged Midwesterner is a hilarious and heartfelt journey through the United Kingdom, its football clubs, and the rich traditions of English football culture. Relegation, the devastating consequence English football teams face when they underperform, is something Todd Smith kept seeing in his own life. He grew up surrounded by soccer: his father was the head athletic trainer for the Minnesota Kicks of the 70s-era North American Soccer League, and Todd played into college. But while his family life was happy after that, his professional life didn’t go the way of his dreams. He spent two decades working tirelessly in blue-collar jobs while trying to break through as a writer. He often felt discouraged, like he’d never really made it, like he himself had been demoted to a lower league. In Relegated, Todd embarks on a trip of personal and professional discovery. Looking for a change and a chance to write about something that really matters to him, he takes off for a multi-month, immersive expedition through the world and culture of English football. He visits not only the best clubs but also the most out of the way and forgotten ones. In these places, like the Old Spotted Dog Ground in East London, the port town of Grimsby (once voted the worst city in England), and Arbroath on the north coast of Scotland, he begins to understand what it means to be a “true” supporter of this historic and cherished game. He meets pub owners, groundskeepers, fan club organizers, and professional and amateur players who show him a deeper love of the sport. He learns how communities rally around a club, how much joy and suffering they can take, and how football clubs—even the lesser-known ones—can bond people together in memories that last a lifetime. A heartwarming account featuring pints, meat pies, a rainbow of team scarves and banners, and some very colorful slang, Relegated is the story of a man looking to transform himself while discovering the true meaning of English football.

THE SIZZLING FINALE TO THE NO 1 BESTSELLING ROMANTASY TRILOGY PHENOMENON! #SLOWBURNSUMMER Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing and The Hunger Games, now with a bright new cover!  ?Paedyn Gray and Kai Azer return to the Kingdom of Ilya... ??And Paedyn has a life-altering choice to make. Whatever she decides will determine her fate – and the fate of those around her – forever. ??In the ultimate battle of love and loyalty, who wins? Be swept away by the conclusion to the smash hit, romantasy trilogy that has taken the world by storm. Powerless, Powerful, Reckless and Fearful available now. Follow Lauren Roberts on TikTok and Instagram @LaurenRobertsLibrary *Powerless was UK YA number 1 on TCM w/e 1st June 2024Praise for Powerless:‘Nothing short of epic’ Rosie Talbot, bestselling author of Sixteen Souls‘A thrilling fantasy with the most delicious slow-burn romance’ M.A. Kuzniar, bestselling author of Midnight in Everwood‘[A] titillating debut’ Publishers Weekly‘A masterpiece’ Goodreads Reader Review‘Everyone needs to read it’ TikTok Review‘The BEST book I’ve read’ NetGalley Reader Review‘A sizzling slice of fantasy romance’ Booksellers Review

Mission Milestone picture books help kids face first experiences with confidence by turning everyday milestones into fun, rewarding adventures. Children will boldly grow alongside Ollie the panda and his alien friend Sid, who lead the way and earn Star Scout badges for every accomplishment. In this mission, Ollie and Sid visit the doctor for a checkup!Ollie and Sid are ready for their first visit with a new doctor—a mission that helps them learn how to care for their bodies and minds. With courage, curiosity, teamwork, and friendship, they discover that a checkup isn’t scary—it’s an adventure in staying strong and healthy. Packed with adorable illustrations, Visit to the Doctor is the perfect confidence-building picture book for ages three to seven. Ideal for read-aloud story time, preschool and kindergarten classrooms, or preparing kids at home for their own doctor’s visits. Join Ollie and Sid on more Star Scout missions to help kids navigate early life experiences—because every new milestone is an adventure waiting to happen. Comes with a sheet of stickers!

Mission Milestone picture books help kids face first experiences with confidence by turning everyday milestones into fun, rewarding adventures. Children will boldly grow alongside Ollie the panda and his alien friend Sid, who lead the way and earn Star Scout badges for every accomplishment. In this mission, Ollie and Sid start their very first day of school!Ollie and Sid are ready for their first day of school—a mission full of new people, places, routines, and discoveries. With courage, curiosity, teamwork, and friendship, they show that starting school isn’t scary—it’s an adventure in learning and growing. Packed with adorable illustrations, First Day of School is the perfect confidence-building back-to-school picture book for ages three to seven. Ideal for read-aloud story time, preschool and kindergarten classrooms, or helping kids get ready for their own first day of school. Join Ollie and Sid on more Star Scout missions to help kids navigate early life experiences—because every new milestone is an adventure waiting to happen. Comes with a sheet of stickers!

Love & Gelato meets Emily in Paris in this sassy, sexy romp through the Amalfi Coast starring a boy-crazy teenager trying to make something real with her on-again-off-again guy before realizing the best things in life—like love and vacations—can’t be planned for. Soraya is so close to getting the boy of her dreams to finally pay attention to her—she’s sure of it. She’s finally graduated from high school, glowed up, and is ready to show her on-again-off-again, secret situationship Wes what he’s missing out on. And when she learns that Wes is heading to Italy on a trip with his fraternity brothers, Sora decides that there’s no better place to reignite a romance than the Amalfi Coast! Under the guise of a graduation Euro trip with her friends, Soraya’s plan is simple: make memories with her besties during the day, make out with Wes at night, and make sure she comes out of this vacation with the title of Official Girlfriend and Grown College Girlie. But vacations can be messy, and romances messier—especially when you’re keeping secrets from your friends, discovering your dream boy may be a nightmare, and spending more and more time with the sweet, wholesome, and supremely cute Italian boy whose family runs the B&B. For a girl who’s a true believer in sure things, Soraya has to learn the hard way that there really is no planning for love—or an epic vacation.

America’s most beloved wiseass finally tells his life story with all the humor you’d expect from a man who made a career out of making fun of pretty much everything. How does the son of a Presbyterian minister wind up winning a Pulitzer Prize for writing a wildly inaccurate newspaper column read by millions of people? In Class Clown, Dave Barry takes us on a hilarious ride, starting with a childhood largely spent throwing rocks for entertainment—there was no internet—and preparing for nuclear war by hiding under a classroom desk. After literally getting elected class clown in high school, he went to college, where, as an English major, he read snippets of great literature when he was not busy playing in a rock band (it was the sixties). He began his journalism career at a small-town Pennsylvania newspaper where he learned the most important rule of local journalism: never confuse a goose with a duck. His journey then took a detour into the business world, where as a writing consultant he spent years trying, with limited success, to get corporate folks to, for God’s sake, get the point. Somehow from there he wound up as a humor columnist for The Miami Herald, where his boss was a wild man who encouraged him to write about anything that struck him as amusing and to never worry about alienating anyone. His columns were not popular with everyone: He managed to alienate a vast army of Neil Diamond fans, and the entire state of Indiana. But he also developed a loyal following of readers who alerted him to the threat of exploding toilets, not to mention the fire hazards posed by strawberry pop-tarts and Rollerblade Barbie, which he demonstrated to the nation on the David Letterman show. He led his readers on a crusade against telemarketers that ultimately caused the national telemarketers association to stop answering its own phones because it was getting—irony alert—too many unwanted calls. He has also run for president multiple times, although so far without success. He became a book author and joined a literary rock band, which was not good at playing music but did once perform with Bruce Springsteen, who sang backup to Dave. As for his literary merits, Dave writes: “I’ll never have the critical acclaim of, say, Marcel Proust. But was Marcel Proust ever on Carson? Did he ever steal a hotel sign for Oprah?” Class Clown isn’t just a memoir; it’s a vibrant celebration of a life rich with humor, absurdity, joy, and sadness. Dave says the most important wisdom imparted by his Midwestern parents was never to take anything too seriously. This laughter-filled book is proof that he learned that lesson well.

Mo travels to Hong Kong to shoot her movie and unexpectedly comes across another ancient book of martial arts secrets in this fast-paced, high-kicking sequel to The Legendary Mo Seto. After rescuing her dad, along with martial arts film star Cody Kwok and the ancient Book of Joy from a big player in the notorious Five Claw crime organization, Mo is on to her next challenge: filming a movie with Cody! Mo and Dax are whisked away to Hong Kong to start work on The Protégés. It’s Mo’s first overseas trip, and she is awestruck by the glitz and glamour of the international film experience. Soon after they arrive, they attend a party at Cody’s house, where Mo and Dax meet Cody’s younger sister, Fiona, who appears snobby and cold. Mo is shocked when Cody’s father gives Cody a familiar-looking book: the Book of Sorrow, a piece in the trilogy of books that holds ancient techniques that have been passed down for generations. She is even more shocked when a thief steals it while the party is in full swing and not even her martial arts skills can stop them! With no leads on the identity of the mysterious thief, Mo recruits the help of a reluctant Fiona, dons her detective hat, and, in between filming, sets out on a mission to find her ancient ancestors’ Book of Sorrow. Can she find and protect the book and make her martial arts movie dreams come true?

A big prank becomes a big yikes in this second book in the New Norm middle grade series about surviving the cringe and chaos of middle school both online and IRL. It only takes a stack of sticky notes to start the great prank challenge at Meadowview Middle School. Now everything and everyone is a potential target, and no one wants to be caught off guard in 4K. Norm’s prank was a flop, but Mia’s idea is genius and Norm is all in. But when their prank brings more chaos than likes, no one is laughing. With upset students and angry faculty working together to hunt down the culprit, Norm and Mia must fix the mess or face the fire.

Solve mysteries in the summer sun with Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew! Each interactive chapter book in this three-books-in-one paperback bind-up includes space for readers to jot down their own ideas and solutions to the case!When a fake snake appears in the pool and ruins Deirdre’s birthday party, Nancy Drew and her best friends, Bess and George, dry off their swimsuits and investigate who could’ve been the snake-slinger in Pool Party Puzzler. In Last Lemonade Standing, Nancy and the girls plan to sell enough sweet strawberry lemonade until they can afford concert tickets at an amusement park! But someone steals their super-secret lemonade recipe, leaving Nancy and the Clue Crew no choice but to compile a list of potential recipe-snatching suspects. Summer vacation gets suspicious when a camera goes missing in The Big Island Burglary. With only one day left of their Hawaiian vacation and no leads, Nancy, Bess, and George must find a way to solve the missing camera case before time runs out!

In contrast to the wave of noisy polemics around AI, AI For Good explores how, in practice, it can actually improve our lives and tells the stories of everyday citizens at the forefront of this new “AI entrepreneurship.”AI is often framed as a force of radical transformation, either catapulting us into a utopian future or dragging us toward existential ruin. But this book tells a different story. It’s not about high-profile tech CEOs who want to use AI to “break shit,” but about a bunch of smart pragmatists using AI to make the world better.Josh Tyrangiel’s journey into AI began with a late-night YouTube video featuring General Gustave Perna, the retired four-star general who orchestrated the distribution of Covid vaccines during Operation Warp Speed. Perna’s success—and the end of the pandemic—depended on AI’s practical ability to synthesize and standardize vast amounts of logistical data. AI wasn’t the hero of the story—it was the tool that helped real people get things done.This book follows those people, who make up a kind of AI counterculture. It explores AI’s quiet revolution in government services, medicine, education, and human connection—places where it’s being used to amplify human judgment rather than replace it. It tells the stories of teachers, doctors, and bureaucrats who often stumbled into AI as a means to solve specific, tangible problems, often with no prior software expertise.While the loudest voices in AI debate doomsday scenarios and trillion-dollar market opportunities, this book focuses on those working in the messy, incremental, but deeply impactful space of AI practice. However, there is one big caveat—success is not guaranteed. Change is hard. Institutions move slowly. But even in failure there are lessons for everyone who’s interested in using AI—carefully, thoughtfully—to build a better world today.

A New Yorker, NPR, and Washington Independent Review Best Book of 2025 A coming-of-age tale from one of the most successful American producers of our time, Jeffrey Seller, who is the only producer to have mounted two Pulitzer Prize–winning musicals—Hamilton and Rent. Before he was producing the musical hits of our generation, Jeffrey was just a kid coming to terms with his adoption, trying to understand his sexuality, and determined to escape his dysfunctional household in a poor neighborhood just outside Detroit. We see him find his voice through musical theater and move to New York, where he is determined to shed his past and make a name for himself on Broadway. But moving to the big city is never easy—especially not at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis—and Jeffrey learns to survive and thrive in the colorful and cutthroat world of commercial theatre. From his early days as an office assistant, to meeting Jonathan Larson and experiencing the triumph and tragedy of Rent, to working with Lin-Manuel Miranda on In the Heights and Hamilton, Jeffrey completely pulls back the curtain on the joyous and gut-wrenching process of making new musicals, finding new audiences, and winning a Tony Award—all the while finding himself. Told with Jeffrey’s candid and captivating voice, Theater Kid is a gripping memoir about fighting through a hardscrabble childhood to make art on one’s own terms, chasing a dream against many odds, and finding acceptance and community.