What's Hot What's New

The good, the bad and the ugly. You'll find them all here. Each week you'll get my take on the intriguing, and sometimes peculiar, titles to recently hit the newsstand.

It's the middle of summer and a national heat wave is making it unbearable to be outside. What better time to sit back in the air conditioning and enjoy a few new magazine launches? This week I profile three new launches that are sure to take your mind off this sweltering summer.

Major League Sudoku Cover Price: $4.99 www.pennypress.com With so many Sudoku titles on the market today, it looks like publishers are trying extra hard to set their magazines apart from the competition. Major League Sudoku is one such example. This titles includes over 200 of the same puzzles America and the world have grown to love but with a slight twist. The pages of Major League Sudoku are packed with Major League Baseball facts and trivia. In addition, each successfully completed puzzle has the answer to a specific trivia question buried somewhere in the lines of numbers. Also included is a full-color insert with even more trivia and fun MLB facts. So pick up this new launch and decide for yourself what America's true pastime is.

Ocean Home www.oceanhomemag.com Not all of us have the chance to get away to that dream home by the ocean. For all of us that fit that description, Ocean Home is a perfect title to take us there without travel or much expense. One of the draws of the ocean is the crisp colors and clear landscapes. Ocean Home captures this perfectly. This new launch is simple and beautifully designed to provide its readers with the most enjoyable experience possible. It's pages make for an easy escape from the hectic day-to-day drudgery, so even if you can't get to the coast this summer you just might think you can feel the sand between your toes.

Romantic Bedrooms and Baths Cover Price: $3.99 www.romantichomes.com The heat may be reaching record highs all over the country, but it won't be long until you'll be spending a relaxing night in bed in front of the fire. While it may not be that time yet, Romantic Bedrooms and Baths is the perfect title to help get you in the mood for cooler, more relaxing weather. This well-done magazine is full of ideas to make your bedroom and bath that relaxing getaway you want it to be. The photography is well-done and compliments a clean layout that doesn't have the cluttered feel of some decorating and design publications. So stay out of the heat, curl up with this magazine and look forward to a good Fall.