When they first meet in high school, Rebecca and Alex could hardly be more different: Rebecca is reticent and plain, hiding in a world of books, while Alex is beautiful, brash and determined to become an actress in New York. These two women and their tragically limited choices in 1960s California are the focus of Aria Beth Sloss's debut, Autobiography of Us. The intense connection they form in high school will endure, albeit unsteadily, through romantic betrayal, marriages and a distance of thousands of miles.

Though Alex is wealthy and upper class and Rebecca is barely middle-class, the women's struggles are similar. Alex finds that no one will take her seriously as an actress. Rebecca aspires to become a doctor, taking every opportunity to study biology in secret. It's a dream that is not only contrary to societal expectations, but to those of her parents: Rebecca's mother dreams of her daughter attending debutante balls and becoming a bride. But her hopes are dashed--and the friendship between Alex and Rebecca imperiled--when Rebecca's life takes a disastrous turn.

Autobiography of Us is unflinching in its confrontation of the consequences of a world without choices for women. Even the ravages of the Vietnam War are depicted as a backdrop to the more subtle catastrophes unfolding for the women left at home. Using elegantly wrought turns of phrase, Sloss delves into a wide range of difficult topics, from illegal abortions to closeted homosexuality. At its heart, the novel is a elegy to spirited women in decades past who were forced to silence their dreams and desires. --Ilana Teitelbaum, book reviewer at the Huffington Post

Deeply rooted in Jamaica Kincaid's quarter-century marriage to composer Allen Shawn, See Now Then is a chilling portrait of a failed relationship.

Mr. and Mrs. Sweet and their children live in a small Vermont village. From the opening pages we learn that Mrs. Sweet's husband, "the dear Mr. Sweet, hated her very much," comparing her appearance with "Charles Laughton as he portrayed Captain Bligh" and composing a nocturne called This Marriage Is Dead. In Mrs. Sweet's telling, her agoraphobic spouse is a "rodent" who "had not grown a half inch since he turned twelve." She takes refuge in her writing and her gardening, striving to preserve something resembling a normal family life. It's no surprise that at the climax of this brief novel, Mr. Sweet declares, "I love someone else and I will not give her up."

As its title suggests, See Now Then is best read as an extended reflection on the passage of time and the insistent tug of memory. The novel's long, looping sentences have a rhythmic, almost hypnotic, character, their images often arresting, as in the way Mrs. Sweet describes how she has been "unraveling various parts of the garment that had been her own life" or Mr. Sweet's claim that his wife is "like walking into barbed wire in the dark."

Despite its grim subject matter and raw, stream-of-consciousness style, See Now Then does have moments of beauty and pathos. It's most definitely not a novel for the casual or impatient, and those who've encountered and appreciated Kincaid's work will want to read it. --Harvey Freedenberg, attorney and freelance reviewer

In Priscille Sibley's debut novel, The Promise of Stardust, ethical gray areas collide with matters of the heart as a husband fights for the life of his unborn baby while his wife slowly fades away.

Matt and Elle's marriage has survived four miscarriages, but Matt is unwilling to put Elle's health at risk by trying for a baby again. Elle argues that life is about risk, but Matt knows he could never live without his childhood friend, his high school sweetheart, his beloved wife. When a drastic fall leaves Elle brain dead and dependent on life support, however, Matt prepares to let her go, knowing that Elle's greatest fear is a slow, lingering death like the one her mother endured. Then the hospital staff tells Matt Elle is eight weeks pregnant. As a doctor, he knows the baby has next to no chance of survival, but as the husband of a woman who wanted a child more than anything in the world, he knows he has to give the fetus every chance to thrive.

Unfortunately for Matt, he's not the only person who loves Elle. While Elle's father supports Matt's decision to continue her life support, her younger brother and Matt's own mother side against him. The families quickly become embroiled in a vicious lawsuit while Matt's life begins to disintegrate without Elle.

While flashbacks to Matt and Elle's love story occasionally grow maudlin, Sibley still provides a tender and thoughtful probing of a sensitive and difficult issue. --Jaclyn Fulwood, youth services manager at Latah County Library District and blogger at Infinite Reads

The Rage by Gene Kerrigan (The Midnight Choir) is a multifaceted, character-driven story of crime and remorse. Vincent Naylor, freshly out of prison, is back to planning a robbery with his old accomplices, most notably his beloved big brother, Noel. Bob Tidey is an experienced and jaded police detective, still devoted to doing good but with the growing feeling that his employers limit his best efforts. Maura Coady is a retired nun living with her guilt and regrets. When Maura witnesses something out the front window of her apartment that doesn't look quite right, she calls Tidey to report it, setting in motion a string of events that run counter to the Naylor brothers' movements toward the next big score. The reader watches each player's trajectory on this collision course, but still won't guess the big finish until it crashes into place.

The Rage will please readers of crime thrillers and literary fiction alike. The atmosphere effectively evokes contemporary Ireland, with all its discontent and economic frustration, and in this way brings to mind Tana French's lyrical Dublin Murder Squad mystery series. Bob Tidey's cynicism and gruff efforts at romance recall Michael Connelly's hero Detective Harry Bosch. The intersecting story lines and crescendo of action create a cinematic effect. Kerrigan's compelling characters carry this thriller breathlessly through to its climax, but it is the engaging dialogue, thoughtful and absorbing prose and social conscience that make The Rage memorable. --Julia Jenkins, librarian and blogger at pagesofjulia

In S.E.C.R.E.T., a daring exploration of female sexuality, L. Marie Adeline opens a promising new erotic series with a far more feminist bent than many of its genre peers.

Cassie Robichaud, a 35-year-old widow and former domestic violence victim, has sunk into a deep rut. Her life consists entirely of her waitressing job, her cat and a string of lackluster dates that have left her celibate for five years. When a glamorous woman accidentally leaves a journal in the cafe, Cassie can't help sneaking a peek at her sexual exploits. Before she knows it, the journal has led Cassie to an organization called S.E.C.R.E.T., a council of women that funds the ultimate journey of sexual discovery for one woman each year--this year, they offer the opportunity to Cassie. Once she chooses 10 fantasies, the council makes them come true, one after another, from a rendezvous with a famous man to a daring rescue at sea. Each scenario teaches Cassie a valuable lesson about confidence, self-worth and independence--but even as her body and spirit revel in her new-found liberation, Cassie's heart yearns for her handsome boss, Will. Can her S.E.C.R.E.T. assignations give her the courage to reach for the one man she really wants?

Throughout her experience, Cassie's safety and wishes remain the highest priority to S.E.C.R.E.T. and her sexual partners. In the end, readers will applaud the inner strength Cassie discovers, allowing her to make the right choice for her future. --Jaclyn Fulwood, youth services manager at Latah County Library District and blogger at Infinite Reads

In April 1865, John Wilkes Booth shocked the fragile Union when he leaped onto the stage at Ford's Theatre and shot Abraham Lincoln. Less well known is the plot to assassinate Lincoln even before his inauguration as president, which Daniel Stashower recounts in The Hour of Peril. In February 1861, as Lincoln traveled from Springfield, Ill., to Washington, D.C., on a special train, a group of Baltimore secessionists devised an elaborate scheme to murder him as he passed through their city.

Allan Pinkerton, founder of the detective agency that bore his name, was originally hired to help protect the railroads during Lincoln's inaugural tour. When Pinkerton and his agents (including Kate Warne, the first female American private eye) arrived in Baltimore, they heard rumors of a murder conspiracy. For two tense weeks, the agents used any means necessary--including bribery, alcohol and coded telegraph messages--to ensure the president-elect's safe passage to Washington.

Stashower (The Beautiful Cigar Girl) builds his tale slowly, beginning with Pinkerton's origins in Scotland and his early career as a cooper. He emphasizes the volatile political climate in a nation on the brink of fracture, and showcases the bravery of Pinkerton's undercover agents and the growing strain on Lincoln's inner circle of advisers and bodyguards. Extracts from contemporary letters, memoirs and newspapers provide fascinating context.

Although readers know the end of this story (and its sad coda four years later), Stashower's expertly plotted recounting of Lincoln's journey will keep readers spellbound to the last page. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams

Every dog lover will be grateful to Ted Kerasote for writing Pukka's Promise, his follow-up to the much beloved Merle's Door, and for his exhaustive research into answering the questions: Why do dogs die so young? What can we do to prevent this?

Once Kerasote knew he was ready to find his next dog after Merle, he embarked on a journey to learn about the healthiest ways to raise dogs. He interviewed many veterinarians, dog breeders, researchers and shelter workers who identified six factors that affect a dog's longevity: inbreeding, nutrition, environmental pollutants, vaccination, spaying and neutering and the shelter system. To these, Kerasote added his own factor--freedom.

Kerasote seamlessly integrates his findings with the story of the search for his next dog, including his experiences raising Pukka (pronounced PUCK-uh, meaning "genuine" or "first-class" in Hindi) from puppyhood. Every decision Kerasote makes is deliberate--from the elk he shoots to nourish himself and his dog to leaving Pukka intact sexually to resorting to e-collar training to preserve Pukka's freedom. He is definitive and opinionated, but his decisions are never made lightly or without scrupulous research and consideration.

Pukka's Promise is a wealth of information any dog lover would appreciate and is truly a love letter to this beloved species. It is not only a fast-paced and engrossing read, but a significant testament to how the decisions we make every day affect the dogs we love so much. --Kristen Galles, blogger at Book Club Classics

Most people are never going to write well, argues Ben Yagoda (When You Catch an Adjective, Kill It), and that's okay. But they need advice on how to avoid writing badly: how to produce prose that makes its point and doesn't confuse or annoy the reader. The average e-mail, cover letter or annual report doesn't need to be a masterpiece of literature--but it does need to be organized, concise and free of bothersome spelling, formatting, grammar and word choice errors. With How to Not Write Bad, Yagoda heads straight for the errors that native users of American English are most likely to make and the easiest ways to correct or prevent them, focusing on producing the not-bad and letting the good take care of itself.

Skipping many of the technical subjects common to writing handbooks, Yagoda concentrates on providing guidelines for formatting (stick to house style), punctuation (less is often more), spelling (use your dictionary) and word choice (ditto). He recognizes that, for most high school and college writing students, writing well is neither necessary nor of interest; they just need to know how to communicate in sentences that aren't confusing, nonsensical or woefully misspelled. His advice is short, well-organized and fun to read. This, of course, increases the chances that students of writing will actually use it--and readers everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief. --Dani Alexis Ryskamp, blogger at The Book Cricket

In Gingersnap, a redheaded girl, cast emotionally adrift by World War II, searches for security, love and family. Nine-year-old orphaned Jayna, recently reunited with her brother, Rob--plus a backyard turtle named Louise--have assembled a ragtag family that makes Jayna feel secure and loved. But 1945 is a crucial year in the war, and Rob is drafted. "Rob would leave, and I'd be alone," says Jayna, crushed to lose her newfound security and to live with her landlady until Rob's return.

Rob reassures Jayna that all will work out, and gives her a special rock out of Louise's pond to remember him by. He also gives Jayna an antique recipe book that hints at a heretofore unknown grandmother. So when Rob's ship is reported sunk during the Battle of Okinawa, Jayna feels compelled to locate her long-lost grandmother. Accompanied by Louise the turtle and the mysterious urgings of a ghostly presence, Jayna makes an extensive journey from upstate New York to Brooklyn in search of the reported cookbook-grandmother and a new home.

Patricia Reilly Giff (Lily's Crossing), twice awarded a Newbery Honor citation, again captures the innocence and vulnerability of childhood in this gentle historical novel. Although the ghostly plot element feels a little tangential, the writing style is charming and further enriched by the inclusion of Jayna's favorite soup recipes, and a dash of humor. --Jessica Bushore, former public librarian and freelance writer

Former Broadway performer and debut author Tim Federle takes readers behind the curtains of a boy's journey to make a name for himself in the big city.

Thirteen-year-old Nate Foster is fleeing Jankburg, Pa., for New York City so he can audition for the role of Elliot in E.T: The Broadway Musical Version. Nate's parents are away, celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary, and his "girl-addicted" 16-year-old brother, Anthony, encourages him to stay over at his best friend Libby's house. Instead, Nate leaves for New York City with $50, his brother's fake I.D, knowledge from the Internet on "things that annoy New Yorkers" and a big dream to chase.

It's a joy watching Nate marvel at Manhattan for the first time, such as the rush of Port Authority, but it's not nearly as dreamy as Nate finding hope in the audition process when all the odds seem to be stacked against him. Federle admirably rolls out themes of adolescent sexuality onto the stage to tie into Nate's dreams of escaping to a place where he doesn't have to change anything about himself to fit in. (Nate says of his sexuality, "I am undecided... and frankly don't want to declare anything other than 'Hey, jerks. I'm thirteen. Leave me alone.' ")

Better Nate Than Ever is an open call for any reader looking for a little book with big star quality. --Adam Silvera, former bookseller, Paper Lantern Lit intern