Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid, 368 pages

 Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.

As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option.

Stay For a Spell by Amy Coombe, 373 pages

 A cursed princess must discover what her heart truly longs for in this charmingly cozy romantic fantasy for everyone who’s ever lost – or found – themselves in a bookshop.

Princess Tanadelle of the Widdenmar is disillusioned with life as a princess. She longs for real conversation, the chance to build a life of her own making, and uninterrupted reading time.

During a routine royal visit to the town of Little Pepperidge, Tandy’s dream comes true when she finds herself cursed to remain in a run-down bookshop until she unlocks her heart’s desire. Certain that someone will figure out how to break the curse eventually, and delighted by the prospect of an entire bookstore of her own, Tandy settles into life among the stacks. She finds it easy to exchange balls and endless state dinners for teetering piles of books and an irritatingly handsome pirate who seems bent on stealing her stock.

She even starts to believe she's stumbled into her very own happily ever after.

There's just one, minor problem: as Tandy's royal duties go unfulfilled, her frantic parents start sending princes to woo her, each one of them certain their kiss will break the curse. After all, what more could a princess want but a prince?

Betty and Veronica Comics Double Digest #246, 196 pages

 Pop is hosting his very own lip sync battle at the Chocklit Shoppe and everyone in Riverdale is invited to compete! All it takes is a little skill and a great memory to get all the lyrics right... right? When it comes to competition, Veronica plays to win. She's going to put on a full performance with props, sound equipment, costumes, lighting and more. But can showmanship win out over talent in the end? Find out in "Lip Sync Rattled," the hilarious lead story to this comics double digest!

Betty and Veronica Comics Double Digest #249, 196 pages

 Betty and Veronica are about to set out on the winter adventure of a lifetime: they're heading out to Pickens Park to go... ice fishing?! Ok, maybe not Veronica's preferred way to spend a snowy Saturday. Find out what makes the cultured Miss Lodge change her mind and embrace some outdoor fun in "Fishing for Love!" the hilarious new lead story to this comics double digest!

Betty and Veronica Summer Annual 244, 196 pages

 On a fateful trip to the beach, Betty and Veronica accidentally release a genie from her bottle, and she's willing to grant them three wishes. Will they get everything they want? Or will they wish they had never met her in the first place?

Betty and Veronica Comics Double Digest #245, 125 pages

 t's the last few days of summer and Betty and Veronica are determined to soak up the sun before it's all gone! But a series of rainstorms are dampening their plans to get tan! Will spray tans be the answer to getting the girls some glowing reviews? Find out in "The Dark Side," the hilarious new story to this comics double digest!

The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler, 342 pages

How does a man addicted to routine - a man who flosses his teeth before love-making - cope with the chaos of everyday life? With the loss of his son, the departure of his wife and the arrival of Muriel, a dog trainer from the Meow-Bow dog clinic, Macon's attempts at ordinary life are tragically and comically undone.

Game Changer by Rachel Reid, 400 pages

 New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pre-game rituals very seriously. In this case, it’s not just a lucky smoothie he’s craving—it’s the man who made it.

Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic...and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.

Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, nevermind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens it’s red-hot, incredible and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors.

Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?

The Cat Who Saw Stars by Lilian Jackson Braun, 294 pages

 UFOs in Mooseville? Rumors abound that a missing backpacker has been abducted, and it looks like Jim Qwilleran's sedate summer may be interrupted by an investigation -- with the help of his own little aliens, Koko and Yum Yum. And when the backpacker's body turns up -- and transplanted Floridian Owen Bowen is found dead soon afterward -- the search for intelligent life turns into a close encounter with a killer...

Betty and Veronica Comics Double Digest #243, 125 pages

 

Betty and Veronica Double Digest #166, 125 pages

 

Betty and Veronica Double Digest #138, 125 pages

 

B & V Friends Jumbo Comics #277, 226 pages

 “What, Me ‘Warrior’?” Betty and Veronica are competing to be on an episode of US Athletic Warriors—and you may be very surprised to find out who makes the cut!

B & V Friends Jumbo Comics #262, 226 pages

 "Roughing It" Betty and Veronica get ready to rough it in the Great Outdoors – but will some bad weather ruin their wilderness experience?

B & V Friends Jumbo Comics #267, 225 pages

 BRAND NEW LEAD “Shelter Skelter!” Betty and Veronica decide to volunteer at the local animal shelter—but they soon learn there’s a lot more to the work than just snuggling with puppies and kitties all day!

Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid, 342 pages

 Hunches, horse races, and heartbreak

Ten years after Simone Payton broke his heart, all Roscoe Winston wants is a doughnut. He’d also like to forget her entirely, but that’s never going to happen. Roscoe remembers everything—every look, every word, every single unrequited second—and the last thing he needs is another memory of Simone.

Unfortunately, after one chance encounter, Simone keeps popping up everywhere he happens to be . . .

Ten years after Roscoe Winston dropped out of her life, all Simone Payton wants is to exploit him. She’d also like some answers from her former best friend about why he ghosted her, but if she never gets those answers, that’s a-okay. Simone let go of the past a long time ago. Seriously, she has. She totally, totally has. She is definitely not still thinking about Roscoe. Nope. She’s more than happy to forget he exists.

But first, she needs just one teeny-tiny favor . . .

Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree, 509 pages

 Fern has weathered the stillness and storms of a bookseller’s life for decades, but now, in the face of crippling ennui, transplants herself to the city of Thune to hang out her shingle beside a long-absent friend’s coffee shop. What could be a better pairing? Surely a charming renovation montage will cure what ails her!

If only things were so simple…

It turns out that fixing your life isn’t a one-time prospect, nor as easy as a change of scenery and a lick of paint.

A drunken and desperate night sees the rattkin waking far from home in the company of a legendary warrior surviving on inertia, an imprisoned chaos-goblin with a fondness for silverware, and an absolutely thumping hangover.

As together they fend off a rogue’s gallery of ne’er-do-wells trying to claim the bounty the goblin represents, Fern may finally reconnect with the person she actually is when there isn’t a job to get in the way.

B & V Friends Comics Digest #258, 196 pages

 "Bag it, Harper!" -- Veronica convinces her crafty cousin Harper to start selling her handmade bags, but Harper might not be ready to give up her sense of individuality for the sake of profit!

The Strange Message in the Parchment by Carolyn Keene, 180 pages

A sheep farmer receives a mysterious telephone call shortly after he buys a series of pictures painted on parchment. "Decipher the message in the parchment and right a great wrong," the voice says. Puzzled, the owner asks Nancy to help.

With Junie, his daughter, Nancy tracks down a kidnapper and a group of extortionists. Clues weave in and out of several puzzles, two of which are linked with Italy. Is there a connection between the message in the parchment and a boy artist on another farm? And who is responsible for the atmosphere of fear in the neighborhood?

After several harrowing experiences, Nancy begins to tighten the net around a ruthless villain and calls on the assistance of her friends Ned, Burt, Dave, Bess and George to bring his nefarious schemes to a dead end.

B & V Friends Comics Annual Digest #253, 256 pages

 STORYBOOK MONTH gains momentum! In "The Princesses and the Pea-brain," the girls are put to the test to see who will be a suitable wife for Prince Archie. But when their mattresses are out to the pea test, it’s anybody's guess who will be lucky (or unlucky) enough to win over the prince!

Betty and Veronica Digest #177, 96 pages

 Bright and brassy, bold and beautiful, blonde and brunette - teen dream queens Betty and Veronica romp through this collection of new stories and classic tales that includes puzzles, games, and pin-ups!

B & V Friends Fall Annual Digest, 196 pages

 IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL for our DOUBLE DIGESTS! In the BRAND NEW story "Don't TEST My Patience," Veronica gets the highest score on the student aptitude test -- but has there been some tampering with the results?

Playing With Fire by Dana Stabenow, 253 pages

 KATE SHUGAK is a native Aleut working as a private investigator in Alaska. She's 5 foot 1 inch tall, carries a scar that runs from ear to ear across her throat and owns half-wolf, half-husky dog named Mutt. Resourceful, strong-willed, defiant, Kate is tougher than your average heroine – and she needs to be to survive the worst the Alaskan wilds can throw at her.

PLAY WITH FIRE.
A ten-year-old boy 'hires' Kate to find his missing father and when Kate stumbles across a body in the woods she fears she may have found him. Finding out what happened will lead Kate to a right-wing religious sect, a conspiracy of silence and a smouldering evil.

Barbarian's Mate by Ruby Dixon, 250 pages

 'Resonance' is supposed to be a dream - that's when your soulmate is chosen for you. And everyone on the ice planet has hooked up with a big, hunky soulmate of their own... except me. So do I want a mate? Heck yeah. More than anything, all I've ever wanted is to be loved by someone.

Except that the soulmate chosen for me? My least favorite person on the darn ice planet. Haeden's the most cranky, disapproving, unpleasant, overbearing male alien... so why is it that my body sings when he gets close? Why is he working so hard to prove to me that he's not as awful as I think he is?

I hate him... don't I?

Funny Fairy Tales: All 16 Fairy Tales by Reut Barak, 209 pages

 Once upon a time, Cinderella was allergic to dust, Red Riding Hood experimented a little too much, and Snow White discovered that dwarfs aren’t always what they seem.

Unexpected twists, awkward romances, and magical mishaps unfold in these short stories, where familiar fairy tales take a sharp left turn.

A little absurd, a little charming, and full of surprises for readers who like their classics reimagined.

The stories:

Thumbelina

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Rapunzel

Red Riding Hood

Aladdin

Frog Prince

Cinderella

Hansel & Gretel

Alice in Wonderland

Beauty and the Beast

Sleeping Beauty

Rumpelstiltskin

Goldilocks

Jack and the Beanstalk

The Princess and the Pea

The Little Mermaid

Prose and Cons by Steffanie Holmes, 290 pages

 Morrie’s been arrested on suspicion of murder. Mina knows the Napoleon of Crime is innocent, but how can she prove her favorite con-artist is being stitched-up?

Being the spider in the center of a vast criminal web has left Morrie in hot water. His list of enemies is long… too long for Mina and her men to unravel. Mina doesn’t have a clue to stand on when a shadow from Morrie’s past shows up and threatens to destroy everything she’s fought for.

If Morrie’s ex solves the murder before them it could mean the end of Nevermore Bookshop. But is Mina ready to pit her sleuthing skills against literature’s foremost consulting detective?

Add a rambunctious puppy, a meddling mother, a cockroach cookery lesson, and their ultimate enemy closing in, and Mina’s on her toughest case yet. There’s only way to get the answers they need, but are Heathcliff and Quoth prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to save their friend?

America's Geekheart by Pippa Grant, 364 pages

 Remember that time you accidentally sexted your in-laws?

Yeah. I just did that. Except worse. Now my million social media followers are reading and sharing the rude, smartass message I meant to send privately to my little sister...and I’m officially public enemy number one.

I’m Beck Ryder. Former boy bander. Underwear model. Fashion mogul. And I just buried my entire leg in my mouth—not just my foot—modern internet style, and publicly insulted my sister’s neighbor.

Sarah Dempsey.

Also known as the woman of my dreams, who loves geeky TV shows, baseball, and giraffes, who’s just as turned on by food as I am, and who has a huge secret that I didn’t see coming.

Now it's time to grovel and apologize publicly on social media and hope that those same followers who helped start the raging shitstorm will help calm the waters.

Because Sarah doesn’t want the spotlight. For very good reasons that I can’t tell you right now and trying to convince her to be my fake girlfriend to fix this mess and make me look like less of a jackass is worse than taking a kick to the nuts by Jackie Chan.

And I thought modeling underwear made me feel naked.

Trying to start a relationship in the era of the twitterazzi isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.

Fifty Animals That Changed the Course of History by Eric Chaline, 224 pages

 Fifty Animals that Changed the Course of History is a beautifully presented guide to the animals that have had the greatest impact on human civilization. Entries are organized by scientific name, except for Homo sapiens, which is featured last.

The 50 animals include the horse, dog, rat, whale, reindeer, beaver, flea, leech, dodo, falcon, oyster and shark. These creatures, great and small, have played central roles in the evolution of humankind, but they have remained at the periphery of our understanding of history. Whether it is an advancement in scientific knowledge, a trade war, disease and death, battles won and lost, or encounters with explorers in unknown lands, these animals have changed the course of history.

More than 150 elegant drawings, photographs and paintings, as well as excerpts from literature, highlight the concise text. Each animal is judged by its influence in four categories:

Edible -- animals that have shaped agriculture, such as the cow
Medical -- animals that are "disease vectors," spreading bacteria and viruses, from malaria to plague
Commercial -- animals used for trade or in manufacturing
Practical -- animals used for transportation or clothing.

The animals described in Fifty Animals that Changed the Course of History are familiar, but their roles in human history are easily overlooked. This attractive reference gives us a fresh perspective on our place in the animal kingdom.