Tough Guy by Rachel Reid, 300 pages

 Pro hockey star Ryan Price may be an enforcer, but off the ice he struggles with anxiety. Recently traded to the Toronto Guardians, he’s determined to make a fresh start in the city’s dynamic LGBTQ Village. The last thing he expects to stumble upon in his new neighborhood is a blast from his past in the fabulous form of Fabian Salah.

Aspiring musician Fabian loathes hockey. But that doesn’t stop him from being attracted to a certain burly, ginger-bearded defenseman. He hasn’t forgotten the kiss they almost shared back in high school, and it’s clear the chemistry between them has only intensified.

Fabian is more than happy to be Ryan’s guide to the gay scene in Toronto. Between dance clubs and art exhibits—and the most amazing sex—Ryan’s starting to feel something he hasn’t experienced in a long time: joy. But playing the role of the heavy on the ice has taken its toll on his body and mind, and a future with Fabian may mean hanging up his skates for good.

Betty and Veronica Double Digest Comics #263, 196 pages

 BRAND NEW LEAD “Now You ‘Sea’ Me!” Betty and Veronica hit the high seas for Spring Break. But it’s not all fun and play as the girls start performing alongside the cruise ship illusionist—will they be able to work some magic on his terrible act?

Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers by Emma Smith, 352 pages

 Stephen King once said that books are “a uniquely portable magic.” Here, Emma Smith takes readers on a literary adventure that spans centuries and circles the globe to uncover the reasons behind our obsession with this captivating object.

From disrupting the Western myth that the Gutenberg Press was the original printing project, to the decorative gift books that radicalized women to join the anti-slavery movement, to paperbacks being weaponized during World War II, to a book made entirely of plastic-wrapped slices of American cheese, Portable Magic explores how, when, and why books became so iconic. It’s not just the content within a book that compels; it’s the physical material itself, what Smith calls “bookhood”: the smell, the feel of the pages, the margins to scribble in, the illustrations on the jacket, its solid heft. Every book is designed to influence our reading experience—to enchant, enrage, delight, and disturb us—and our longstanding love affair with books in turn has had direct, momentous consequences across time.

Bite By Bite: Amerrican History Through Feasts, Foods and Side Dishes by Marc Aronson, 164 pages

 Explore the fascinating history of America as told through the lens of food in this illustrated nonfiction middle grade book that lays out the diverse cultures that have combined to create the rich and delicious tapestry of the American country and cuisine.

As American as apple pie. It’s a familiar saying, yet gumbo and chop suey are also American! What we eat tells us who we where we’re from, how we move from place to place, and how we express our cultures and living traditions.

In twelve dishes that take readers from thousands of years ago through today, this book explores the diverse peoples and foodways that make up the United States. From First Salmon Feasts of the Umatilla and Cayuse tribes in the Pacific Northwest to fish fries celebrated by formerly enslaved African Americans, from “red sauce” Italian restaurants popular with young bohemians in the East to Cantonese restaurants enjoyed by rebellious young eaters in the West, this is the true story of the many Americas—laid out bite by bite.

Betty and Veronica Jumbo Comics #261, 196 pages

 BRAND NEW LEAD STORY: "Movie Mix-Up!" Archie gets a taste of his own medicine when Betty and Veronica double-book dates for the same night as a movie outing with Archie!

Mystery of Crodile Island by Carolyn Keene, 180 pages

 In a response to a friend's call for help, Nancy's father, a lawyer, asks her to travel to mysterious Crocodile Island with her friends Bess and George to study the reptiles and try to uncover a group of suspected poachers.

Upon their arrival in Florida, the girls are kidnapped but cleverly escape to pursue their detective work. Dangers mount as they cope with reptiles, enemy boats, and exciting chases after the men who are responsible for a sinister racket that involves many unsuspecting victims. In the end, Nancy makes a bold move to untangle the mass of clues. She and Ned become imprisoned in the enemy's submarine and are held for ransom!

How Nancy and Ned are saved and the tables turned on the owners of Crocodile Island are left for the reader to discover.

Betty and Veronica Comics Double Digest #258, 196 pages

 In the BRAND NEW Christmas story "The LAST Noelle," Santa's daughter Noelle wants to experience normal high school life -- but if Betty & Veronica interfere, will Santa put them on his naughty list?