THE TOP 100 GREATEST GAMING CHARACTERS

Explore the coolest records across the most popular consoles, developers and games through a brand-new list from the ultimate authority on record breaking.

From Lara Croft to Link and the crew of Mass Effect to the Creepers of Minecraft, see where the biggest and best characters ranked. Do you agree and did your favourites make the list? 

Plus!
· Get the lowdown on the most popular Roblox games
· Count down the coolest and rarest Fortnite skins
· Check out the most played Mobile Games from Pokémon GO to Brawl Stars
· Discover the origins of games like Batman, Spider-Man and Midnight Suns in the Comics and Videogames feature
· Trace the history of recording-breaking Sports Games with amazing facts on gaming versions of F1, American Football, soccer and more
· Learn how Videogame Voice Actors use different skills and inspirations to bring your favourite characters to life[AB1] 
· Have fun and relax with Cosy Gaming – whether professional cleaning, cute kitties, or idyllic farms are your thing

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection.

A young boy learns about the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival from his grandfather when he attends his first dragon boat race.

The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, ushering in the start of summer. On the night before the Dragon Boat Festival, a young boy asks his grandfather how the dragon boat races first began. His grandfather tells him that legend has it that the races started in the ancient time of the Dragon King, when every lake and river had a guardian dragon. Dragons symbolize good luck, and have great power, especially over water and weather.

On race day at the harbor, all the boats have a carved dragon head on their bows. As a final touch, to wake up their team's boat, the boy paints in the dragon's eye. But once the race is underway, their team's dragon boat is in last place. How can they wake their dragon?

A Zibby's Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2025!



From New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard comes a page-turning drama that explores the beauty of female friendship; the relationship between money, power, and sex; and the very human desire to protect the ones we love most.



When she is convicted of a double murder, Felicity Wild, a brilliant grad student turned high-priced escort, declares, "I may not be innocent, but I'm innocent of this."



Reenie Bigelow never doubted it. A jury may have given Felicity a life sentence, but Reenie knows that her childhood best friend is not capable of murder. And so Reenie, a journalist, decides to use her deep connections to Felicity's past to unravel the truth.



The more she uncovers, the more Reenie is convinced that the story the prosecution told is wrong, despite the puzzling fact that Felicity said not one single word in her own defense. But there's one thing Reenie knows for certain: Felicity would never lie.

 

What happens in the group chat stays in the group chat... until it doesn't.

Virginia Vaughn just wants to fit in with her super-popular friend group. That means she doesn't let them know how much she loves the library, she never speaks a word about her massive crush on tragically unpopular Grayson, and she says nasty things she doesn't actually mean. But only in the group chat, so it's harmless, right?

But when she has a blowout fight with her clique--specifically, with the Queen Bee herself--her mean texts are posted online for the entire school to see! And, suddenly, Virginia has no one but her cat to talk to.

Cue "Knight Errant," a mystery boy at school who texts Virginia by accident--and who quickly becomes her closest confidante. Though they send messages back and forth for hours every night, Virginia doesn't want him to know which classmate she is (because then he'll connect her to the mean texts ALL OVER THE INTERNET). She likes him, but she really likes Grayson, too. Can she find the strength to tell Knight who she really is? And will Grayson--who has become her only ally at school--give up on her when the awful things she's said about him are finally posted?

Confessions from the Group Chat is the second middle-grade romcom from New York Times bestselling author Jodi Meadow (Bye Forever, I Guess; My Lady Jane, now a streaming series). Sweet, funny, and authentically messy, this is an ultra-cute story about middle-school misbehavior, innocent first love, and the inner life of a repentant mean girl.

A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle-Grade Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Don't miss out on the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last. This breathtaking collectible is only available on a limited first print run in the U.S. and Canada only, a must-have for any book lover.

Now optioned for film by Amazon MGM Studios!

The moment you see a dragon is usually your last...

Since the dragons emerged–along with the scourge that ravaged our lands and people–there’s only one human city that remains standing: Vinguard.

But the hellfire from above is nothing compared to the threat from within. For there is no worse fate than being dragon cursed. Slowly and excruciatingly, you’ll be transformed into a mindless beast who destroys everything–and everyone–you love.

Any of us could be tainted. Any of us could be lying. Any of us could be caught and killed by the authorities.

And I’m terrified that I might be next.

There’s only one other person who might suspect my secret. He’s like my shadow, following me wherever I go. Part protector, part tormentor, fully annoying. Sometimes I think I am just one of the million unfathomable secrets he keeps hidden.

Because Lucan definitely knows something.

And if I’m dragon cursed, death might be the only mercy I get.

This thrilling addition to the bestselling Private series transports readers inside the halls of the Vatican itself when a priest is murdered--and the new lead agent at Private is the number one suspect. 



Jack Morgan, ex-Marine helicopter pilot and CIA agent, is in Italy to open the latest outpost of his international private investigation firm. Its wealthy client base demands maximum force and maximum discretion. 

But when a priest is murdered at the firm's opening party, Morgan and Matteo Ricci--a decorated former Rome police inspector, now Morgan's newly appointed deputy--come under intense scrutiny. As Morgan and Ricci work the case, they discover that eight priests have died, all under watch of the Swiss Guard and the Vatican Police. 

Private relies on the world's most advanced forensic tools to make and break cases. This one rests on breaking the secret hold of the Holy See's all-powerful, all knowing inner circle.

An enchanting and beautifully illustrated memoir of grief, hope, and love, alongside the joy of exploring ancient landscapes, which uncovers the wonder of Britain's ancient megaliths.

Journeying across Britain, from West Penwith and Avebury to the Lake District and Orkney, Stone Lands uncovers the magic and rich history of Britain's incredible prehistoric standing stones. It conveys the delight that lies in tracking them down, as well as the solace these ancient places offer in times of darkness.

A few months after discovering that her beloved husband, Stephen, had incurable cancer, Fiona Robertson began to write this book. A long-time megalith enthusiast, she found the ancient stones resonated with her more profoundly than ever as she faced the prospect of losing him. Set upright thousands of years ago, the megaliths are symbols of endurance and survival, standing in contrast to our ephemeral human lives. Infused with folklore, legend and mystery, these standing stones enchant the landscape and bring magic to our modern world.

This enthralling memoir is woven delicately around great grief but is ultimately about embracing life, joy and ancient wonder—a luminous reminder of what it means to exist on this earth.

One of our leading experts on the brain and #1 New York Times bestselling author explores how chronic physical and emotional pain are both rooted in your brain's wiring, leaving you stuck in the doom loop and how you can break free to heal from the "doom loop" and reclaim a vibrant, pain-free life.

In the United States alone, one in five adults experiences chronic pain. For too long, when a doctor couldn't find the source of frequent pain, the patient was dismissively told "it's all in your head." Today, we know that our somatic responses to trauma, anxiety, and depression create real suffering, and that physical pain can lead to trauma, anxiety, and depression. Dr. Daniel Amen calls this "the doom loop"--the dance between physical and emotional pain. These doom loops interfere with our ability to live our lives. But we can shift the doom loop into a healing loop, and in this vital book, he shows us how.

Dr. Amen has been researching a new brain-based approach to pain. In Change Your Brain, Change Your Pain he draws on those studies to reveal:

• Pain producing versus pain soothing thought patterns
• Muscle tension and trauma vs calmness and clarity
• The use of medical and nutraceuticals to help calm the pathways
• The effects of diet, exercise, meditation, breath to help pain

Our current approach to understanding and treating physical and emotional pain is misguided. Change Your Brain, Change Your Pain offers a healthier way, one that involves less medication, less surgery, and better outcomes. Just like the human heart, the human brain is an organ, and that to be free of emotional or physical pain, it is critical to get the brain as healthy as it can be--not just physically, but emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually, as well.

How Not To Die: Revised and Updated is an empowering guide featuring the latest scientific discoveries on nutrition and longevity. Discover the foods, exercise, and lifestyle habits that prevent the fifteen leading causes of disease-related death.

Doctors are good at treating acute illnesses, but bad at preventing chronic disease. The fifteen diseases that lead to the most deaths in America claim the lives of 1.6 million annually. This doesn't have to be the case. For the most part, these diseases and illnesses are preventable. In this revised and updated edition of the bestselling classic, Dr. Michael Greger shares groundbreaking scientific discoveries in nutrition and longevity. With updates from all of the most recent studies, HOW NOT TO DIE is a guide to the methods proven to keep the reaper off our backs, detailing the foods we should eat and the lifestyle changes we can make to live longer.

Internationally-renowned as a nutrition expert, physician, and founder of NutritionFacts.org, Dr. Greger examines the fifteen diseases that are the leading causes of death in America—heart disease, various cancers, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Parkinson's, and more—and explains how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can often surpass the modern medical approach, freeing us to live longer, healthier lives.

Full of practical, actionable advice and surprising, cutting edge nutritional science, these doctor's orders offer the best chance for living healthy well-beyond our expiration dates.

Dr. Mindy Pelz, noted women's health advocate and the bestselling author of Fast Like a Girl and Eat Like a Girl, redefines menopause as a powerful biological upgrade—offering science-backed strategies to help women thrive, reclaim their health, and step into their most vibrant, authentic selves.

“What I discovered—and what I hope you’ll see woven through every page—is that the neurochemical shift at menopause offers a mirror. One that reveals a more authentic version of who we are—and invites us to change what no longer serves.”
—Dr. Mindy Pelz

If you’re feeling foggy, overwhelmed, burned out, or like a stranger in your own mind and body, Age Like a Girl will help you understand why—and show you what’s possible on the other side.

Bestselling author and women’s health expert Dr. Mindy Pelz reveals the groundbreaking science behind how menopause rewires your brain—and how this transformation is happening for you, not to you. What most women mistake as “the begin­ning of the end” is actually a biologically designed brain and identity reset—one that can deliver greater confidence, clarity, and energy than you’ve felt in years.

You’re not falling apart. You’re being rebuilt— from the inside out. With science, compassion, and lived wisdom, Dr. Mindy helps you make sense of what’s happening—and what’s possible next.

Inside you’ll discover how to:
 

• Understand the brain changes behind mood swings, fatigue, and brain fog
• Reclaim your emotional resilience, motivation, and focus
• Support your hormones and nervous system naturally
• Redesign your life using simple lifestyle tools backed by neuroscience
• Embrace your next chapter with power, vitality, and peace

Menopause isn’t the end of your story. It’s the turning point.
Come home to your clarity.
Come home to your confidence.
Come home to yourself.

A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice · A Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2025 · A People Best Book of November 2025 · An NPR Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2025

A revealing exploration of a quarter century of cultural stagnation, examining the commercial and technological forces that have come to dominate contemporary culture—from music and fashion to art, film, TV, and beyond

Over the past twenty-five years, pop culture has suffered from a perplexing lack of reinvention. We’ve entered a cultural “blank space”—an era when reboots, rehashes, and fads flourish, while bold artistic experimentation struggles to gain recognition. Why is risk no longer rewarded, and how did playing it safe become the formula for success? Acclaimed cultural historian W. David Marx sets out to uncover the answers.

In this ambitious cultural history, Marx guides us through the blur of the twenty-first century so far, from the Obama era to the rise of K-pop, from Paris Hilton to the Marvel cinematic universe, from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to . . . Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, whose enduring influence highlights both their adaptability and the broader shifts in pop culture. Combining sociological, economic, and political insights with a deep dive into art, street culture, fashion, and technology, Blank Space dissects the rise of profit-driven, formulaic trends and the shifting cultural norms that often prioritize going viral over innovation. He reveals how backlash against indie snobbery and nineties counterculture gave rise to a “counter-counterculture”—one marked by antiliberal sentiment, the celebration of business heroes, and the increasing influence of industry plants and the elite class. In a world of crypto bros, nepo babies, and AI-driven art, Marx offers readers a much-needed dose of clarity and context.

Vibrantly narrated and sharply argued, Blank Space is an essential guide for anyone looking to understand the chaos of the twenty-first century, the trends, tastemakers, and icons who shaped it, and how we might push our culture forward over the next quarter century—through renewed emphasis on creativity, community, and the values that transcend mere profit.

Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life will help you discover how observing the Sabbath isn't a rejection of modern life but a rebellion against busyness and a pathway to genuine connection, peace, and presence. Through Stop in the Name of God, bestselling author Charlie Kirk guides you on how to unplug, recharge, and reconnect with God, family, and yourself in a way that nurtures your soul. In a world dominated by screens and constant noise, Stop in the Name of God presents the Sabbath as a radical act of resistance. Packed with practical insights and spiritual wisdom, Charlie Kirk demonstrates how honoring the Sabbath restores balance, reduces anxiety, and nourishes your soul. It's not just a day of rest-it's a lifeline to reclaiming what truly matters.

Comedian Rob Riggle's frank, funny, and inspirational memoir about how the lessons he learned while serving in the US Marines prepared him for life, especially when it came to pursuing his comedy dreams.

Before he graced movie screens in films like The Hangover and television in shows like The Daily Show, Rob Riggle served his country as a Marine for twenty-three years. He helped liberate an embassy in Liberia, served at a refugee camp in Albania before going into Kosovo, did search and rescue at Ground Zero, and was deployed to Afghanistan twice. He learned the hard way that you need to embrace the suck and never give up if you want to get anywhere in life. And those lessons came in handy, especially when he faced tough crowds as he tried to establish his comedy career. He's been heckled (by idiots), shot at (by bigger idiots), rejected for roles, and flopped more often than a European soccer player in the World Cup. But no matter what he was doing, every time Riggle wanted to throw in the towel, he channeled his inner Marine and kicked his ass in gear.

GRIT, SPIT, AND NEVER QUIT has action, tear‑jerker scenes, side‑splitting laughs, and plenty of bumper sticker moments. He's jumped out of planes, he's become one of the most recognizable comedians in the country-but at his core, Rob is a regular guy from Kansas with grit, spit, and the will to never quit.

Award-winning Colombian author Laura Restrepo weaves contemporary themes and ancient myth in this story of star-crossed lovers in a world on the brink of collapse.

Retelling the mythical love story between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon in the refugee camps of the present day, Song of Ancient Lovers is a sublime ode to love and desire as forces shaping human history, with power that rivals forces of destruction.

Ethereal in its weaving of the real and the mythical, the contemporary and the ancient, this is the story of Bos Mutas, a young writer traveling from South America to northern Africa in search of traces of his obsession. His research unveils the Queen of Sheba as unyielding and committed to her independence, with remarkable influence both in her time--over Solomon and all the subjects in her expansive kingdom--and on thinkers and artists across the centuries, from Thomas Aquinas to Gérard de Nerval, Frida Kahlo to Patti Smith. He also finds traces of her influence in the magic made of devastating circumstances by women he meets on his journey, especially Zahra Bayda, a Somali midwife who has taken it upon herself to show him around.

Stunning and evocative, Song of Ancient Lovers is a triumph of imagination and reverence for the spirit that connects us across boundaries of time and geography.

Translated from the Spanish by Caro De Robertis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In this enchanting novel set at Cedar Cove's cozy Rose Harbor Inn, Debbie Macomber celebrates the power of love--and a well-timed love letter--to inspire hope and mend a broken heart.
 
Summer is a busy season at the inn, so proprietor Jo Marie Rose and handyman Mark Taylor have spent a lot of time together keeping the property running. Despite some folks' good-natured claims to the contrary, Jo Marie insists that Mark is only a friend. However, she seems to be thinking about this particular friend a great deal lately. Jo Marie knows surprisingly little about Mark's life, due in no small part to his refusal to discuss it. She's determined to learn more about his past, but first she must face her own--and welcome three visitors who, like her, are setting out on new paths.
 
Twenty-three-year-old Ellie Reynolds is taking a leap of faith. She's come to Cedar Cove to meet Tom, a man she's been corresponding with for months, and with whom she might even be falling in love. Ellie's overprotective mother disapproves of her trip, but Ellie is determined to spread her wings.
 
Maggie and Roy Porter are next to arrive at the inn. They are taking their first vacation alone since their children were born. In the wake of past mistakes, they hope to rekindle the spark in their marriage--and to win back each other's trust. But Maggie must make one last confession that could forever tear them apart.
 
For each of these characters, it will ultimately be a moment when someone wore their heart on their sleeve--and took pen to paper--that makes all the difference. Debbie Macomber's moving novel reveals the courage it takes to be vulnerable, accepting, and open to love.

Praise for Love Letters
 
"[Debbie] Macomber's mastery of women's fiction is evident in her latest. . . . [She] breathes life into each plotline, carefully intertwining her characters' stories to ensure that none of them overshadow the others. Yet it is her ability to capture different facets of emotion which will entrance fans and newcomers alike."--Publishers Weekly
 
"Romance and a little mystery abound in this third installment of Macomber's series set at Cedar Cove's Rose Harbor Inn. . . . Readers of Robyn Carr and Sherryl Woods will enjoy Macomber's latest, which will have them flipping pages until the end and eagerly anticipating the next installment."--Library Journal (starred review)
 
"Uplifting . . . a cliffhanger ending for Jo Marie begs for a swift resolution in the next book."--Kirkus Reviews
 
"Mending a broken heart is not always easy to do, but Macomber succeeds at this beautifully in Love Letters. . . . Quite simply, this is a refreshing take on most love stories--there are twists and turns in the plot that keep readers on their toes--and the author shares up slices of realism, allowing her audience to feel right at home as they follow a cast of familiar characters living in the small coastal town of Cedar Cove, where life is interesting, to say the least."--Bookreporter
 
"Love Letters is another wonderful story in the Rose Harbor series. Genuine life struggles with heartwarming endings for the three couples in this book make it special. Readers won't be able to get enough of Macomber's gentle storytelling. Fans already know what a charming place Rose Harbor is and new readers will love discovering it as well."--RT Book Reviews (4-1/2 stars)