Erika Marks is not from New Orleans, but you'd never know it by the way she describes Creole cuisine. This delectable debut novel is brimming with descriptions of dishes so vibrant they may as well be characters in their own right. (Marks's husband is a New Orleans native whom she credits for the recipes she charmingly adds as a postscript to the book.)

Little Gale Gumbo centers on voodoo priestess Camille and her teenage daughters, earnest Josie and wild Dahlia, as they escape the abusive clutches of Camille's drunken husband, Charles. Their flight takes them from the French Quarter to a little island in Maine, where Camille soon falls in love with Ben, the broken-hearted single father of adolescent Matthew, and the new couple and their assorted offspring open the Little Gale Café. While Camille's shrimp pie, jambalaya and pralines are a big hit up north, the obsessive Charles eventually tracks her down, threatening the peaceful she's created with Ben.

As the bittersweet tale unfolds over a period of 25 years, Marks adds an unusual love triangle between pseudo-siblings Matthew, Dahlia and Josie. This enriches the plot and leaves you feeling sympathy for all three. No sympathy, however, can be conjured for the disturbing Charles, whom Marks describes with such disgust that you'll want to take a frying pan to his head. When Charles is murdered, you may not wonder who did it, but you'll certainly wonder why they didn't do it sooner. This work leaves you salivating for a second helping of whatever Marks is cooking up next. --Natalie Papailiou, author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend

Note to fans of swashbuckling sea adventures: If you're tired of re-reading C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey series, you simply must dive into the Thomas Kydd sea adventures penned by their fellow Englishman Julian Stockwin. Conquest, the 12th installment in the series, picks up where its predecessor left off, at the British victory at Trafalgar, beginning a new episode in the history of England's imperialistic ambitions.

It's 1806 and as captain of the frigate L'Aurore, Kydd is off on an expedition to take Cape Town from the Dutch and to secure the rich trade routes to India. Accompanying him is his friend and confidential secretary, Nicholas Renzi. Kydd and his crew anticipate the Dutch will fight hard for this important territory and will be ready for action. They surrender easily, though, leaving Kydd and his force to maintain order in a harsh African environment. Things become complicated when Renzi gets into serious trouble and Kydd risks both his ship and his career to help him.

Conquest is a fun read. The prose is functional, the plot fast-moving, the action intense. The characters are fairly simple, but it all works well, and like a good soap opera you'll find yourself eagerly awaiting the next episode. Stockwin is especially good on the technical details of sailing, and he knows his history, too. (For landlubbers who don't know a plain sail from a goose-winged, there's a handy glossary.) --Tom Lavoie, former publisher

Simon Sunderson, newly retired as a Michigan State Police detective and still mourning the divorce that had "blown a three-year long bomb crater" in his life, decides to devote himself to tracking down the Great Leader, the head of a tiny cult created to satisfy his lust for adolescent girls.

Sunderson's Ahab-like quest takes him from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to the Arizona/Mexico border to Nebraska's lonely, beautiful sandhills. Along the way he drinks too much, overindulges in the local cuisine (a Mexican breakfast dish that features tripe is one of his favorites) and pines for both his ex-wife, Diane, and his nubile next-door neighbor, 16-year-old Mona, whose skill with computers lands her a job as computer illiterate Sunderson's assistant.

Though the ex-detective's frequently shambling pursuit of the cult leader provides the novel's narrative momentum, Harrison's complex, appealing, if obviously flawed protagonist is the essence of the story's true pleasure: "Life moment by moment is so unforgiving," Sunderson muses in one of his many moments of pained reflection, "and I'm a slow study." Telling someone he's "investigating the evil connection between religion, money, and sex," Sunderson, an avid student of history, spends plenty of time pondering those elemental subjects, alongside the pure joy of fishing for brook trout in a fast-running stream or the mysteries of Native American ritual. He's a cynic, who's spent "forty years as a janitor trying to clean up the culture's dirt," and yet he's capable of drawing others to himself in a meaningful ways.

It's possible to enjoy The Great Leader as a detective story but even more so as an exploration of one man's wounded psyche. Though he's been writing for a long time, Jim Harrison's latest leaves no doubt he still has much that's fresh, entertaining and thoughtful to say. --Harvey Freedenberg

In the post-zombie world of Frail, being human is a liability. Seventeen-year-old Amy believes herself to be the last pure human--a "frail"--in a world of ex-zombies and ex-humans, both infected by a secondary plague that changed the already changed world of the zombie apocalypse. It was bad enough when there were just zombies, undead flesh eaters, slowly devouring the humans. Now the "exes" rule the world--fast, strong, self-healing, immortal and brutal.

Frail is the second book in a planned trilogy; the first book, Dust, described the world from the perspective of the undead zombie. In this book, we get a terrifying glimpse of a life where humans are no longer the top of the food chain. Amy's life is saved, several times, by an ex-human named Lisa, and a fragile--one might say frail--friendship is formed. When they are forcibly recruited into a new town where humans are treated as slaves or pets, Amy and Lisa begin to look for ways to change the status quo. The plot resolves in several satisfying scenes while creating more satisfying ambiguity.

The tone is gritty and the prose gets more ethereal as the story moves forward; the end of the book introduces some beings with seemingly supernatural powers, but manages to stay firmly rooted in the bone and sinew and blood of the human experience. Amy's adolescent voice is strong and clear throughout the novel, allowing readers to come in close to the inner workings of a frail human being who has been through too much and who may in fact have to experience much more. --Rob LeFebvre, freelance writer & editor

Theresa Romain makes her historical romance debut with this tale of two sisters, one suitor and a scandal the ton won't soon forget.

James, Viscount Matheson needs to marry quickly if he's to restore his family name after the sensational end of his sister's marriage. Luckily he's already found the perfect bride in the person of striking and poised Louisa Overton. Perhaps their courtship played out more like a business transaction than a romance, but with his family's reputation on the line, James is unconcerned with the luxury of true love. His practical approach works at first, but then a visit to his intended brings him face-to-face with her beautiful, impetuous stepsister Julia. Suddenly, James finds himself betrothed to one sister but in love with the other. For free-spirited Julia, it's also love at first sight, but how can she ever be with James without breaking Louisa's heart?

Although the plot may sound spicy, its execution is surprisingly sweet natured. Julia loves James from afar, unaware that Louisa does not want to marry at all, and James struggles to make the best of his engagement to Louisa in spite of his attraction to Julia. Readers wanting a bit of British cattiness will still find it here, though, in the form of the sisters' indomitable aunt. Modiste fittings, social gaffes, and chapter titles such as "In Which Plum Pudding Is Vulgar" round off this fun, frilly debut that is sure to go straight to Regency fans' hearts. --Jaclyn Fulwood, graduate assistant, University of Oklahoma Libraries

In The Rose Garden, Susanna Kearsley (The Winter Sea) channels Mary Stewart, presenting her readers with an evocative romance set on the Cornish coast. As the novel opens, Kearsley's heroine, Eva, is reeling from the death of her older sister, Katrina. Hoping to lay her sister to rest in the place that meant the most to her and to take some small measure of comfort herself, Eva returns to Trelowarth House, the Cornish estate where they spent their summers as children. When she begins hearing and seeing things that aren't there, she assumes that the stress and grief are bringing on hallucinations. But when reality melts around her and is replaced by 18th-century smugglers and Jacobite sympathizers, Eva runs out of logical explanations.

Kearsley paints vivid pictures of both picturesque modern Cornwall and the romantic and dangerous Cornwall of the 1700s. Her characters are slightly less well drawn, however. The modern bunch are pleasant but mostly forgettable, while Eva herself is ever so slightly bland. All the color and personality seems to have been saved for the 18th-century characters. The romantic interest, smuggler Daniel Butler, is entirely lovely, and his nemesis, Constable Creed, is a chilling and sadistic villain, though slightly underdeveloped. The real jewel, though, is the cantankerous Fergal, who poses as Eva's brother and engages the reader's attention so completely that he steals even the scenes he's not a part of. Throw in a few time travel plot twists and The Rose Garden makes for a truly entertaining read. --Judie Evans, librarian

In November 2008, the Conficker worm appeared and began spreading through computers across the globe, forming a massive botnet capable of wreaking digital havoc. Its creator was unknown and its purpose unclear, and a top-notch security team was assembled to stop it. Journalist Mark Bowden (Black Hawk Down) turns what could have been an arcane report into a crackerjack tale--Worm is accessible and compelling despite its somewhat technical subject matter.

The opening chapters provide a history of computer viruses that should be required reading for anyone whose job involves an Internet connection. Then, having provided the necessary background for cyber-security novices, Bowden segues into the story of the team that gathered to fight Conficker, which is even more fascinating. Security experts from around the country coalesced into what they began calling the Cabal and started tracking the virus, trying to get ahead of the black hats and quarantine the aggressive worm. That's when the inevitable interpersonal drama and infighting began, even as they tried desperately to get the federal government's attention. Bowden's respect for these guys comes across loud and clear; he frequently compares them to the X-Men. The story is also terrifying: the Cabal fighting Conficker didn't win so much as their antagonist went quiet. What's more, Worm illustrates the difficulty of keeping a virus contained in a world where the large majority of computers run Windows and not enough people download security patches. --Kelly Faircloth, freelance writer

In our technologically advanced age, patients choose to undergo a myriad of surgical interventions at an astounding rate: 85,000 elective surgeries are performed in American hospitals and clinics every day. Yet, few patients likely understand the remarkable innovations that have led to the sophisticated procedures executed by today's surgeons. For those who want to explore the fascinating history of this medical specialty, Invasion of the Body: Revolutions in Surgery is the perfect starting point.

Dr. Nicholas Tilney is a transplant surgeon affiliated with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He has written in the past about his medical specialty, including the acclaimed Transplant: From Myth to Reality. In this latest work, he focuses on the broader spectrum of surgical revolutions that have shaped his specialty. He covers, in thorough, yet accessible style, a range of topics: pharmaceutical advances in anesthesia and anti-infective agents; the creation of teaching hospitals and recognition of surgery as a distinct specialty; the influence of trench warfare on surgical techniques; the evolution of organ transplantation; and current conditions in surgical training. Dr. Tilney's final chapters discuss issues in modern medicine that will continue to affect both those who practice surgery and those who undergo it.

Invasion of the Body is a completely detailed, captivating account of the transformation of surgery over the past century. Dr. Tilney's book will appeal to the curious reader just as much as it will to those in the health professions. --Roni K. Devlin, owner of Literary Life Bookstore & More

The cutesy title might make you think this home self-help book packs more puff than punch, but the truth is (insert Liza Minelli jazz hands, if you will), it's utterly fabulous. Yes, interior designer Xorin Balbes suggests writing a love letter to your favorite piece of furniture and recommends cleansing negative energy by waving around burning sage--but there's also an abundance of sensible, easy-to-implement action steps and real-life stories of homes he's transformed.

The case studies are fascinating reminders of how much people's homes reflect who they are. One woman's bulky wedding gown gobbled up an entire closet, even though she's 10 years divorced. Another one of Balbes's clients had a baby grand dominating her entire foyer, even though she despises all things piano. Cases regarding hoarding, clutter and neglect are transformed into valuable lessons about letting go of what's not beautiful or necessary and genuinely celebrating the place we call "home."

Balbes's eight steps to home bliss guide readers through a process from "assess" to "discover" and "dream"--and none of his wisdom is exclusive to those with extra cash. His philosophy is that little things (oiled door hinges, live plants, candles) go a long way toward making a home a sanctuary. Helpful lists on everything from room-by-room color choices to green cleaning products make this a home decorating bible that works. Even people who don't know a throw from a throw rug will finish this book excited to transform their space. --Natalie Papailiou, author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend

Laini Taylor (Lips Touch) once again blends romance, otherworldly beings, and the yin and yang of joy and pain, and light and dark in her latest tantalizing novel.

Karou, 17 years old, with bright blue hair and a "constellation of tattoos," lives in Prague, where she's studying to be an artist. Through Karou's sketchbook, we learn of her "secret world," populated by chimaera: Issa, a serpent from the waist down and woman from the waist up, and Brimstone, the Wishmonger with ram horns and reptilian eyes and patriarch of their patchwork family. They raised Karou as their own from age five, and Karou knows nothing else of her past. Karou buys teeth for Brimstone, and she receives scuppies (wishes) as payment from him. On one of these errands, Karou comes face to face with a seraphim. She uses the eye-like tattoos on her hands to repel the creature. But she finds she cannot kill him, just as he cannot bring himself to kill her. The rest of the novel delves into the mystery of the connection they feel, which in turn leads to a revelation of Karou's identity. They confide the legends told by the seraphim and the chimaera in order to sow seeds of hatred. The two dream of "a world remade," one large enough to contain their love.

Taylor elevates this tale beyond a story of two star-crossed lovers by exploring the ways that society demonizes "the other" and by filling her tale with captivatingly complex characters. Readers will eagerly await the planned sequel. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness

By now, every child familiar with Jan Thomas's Rhyming Dust Bunnies knows that the answer to the title question is YES!--with the possible exception of the chicken whose sofa gets the brunt of a bovine trio's schemes in this hilarious picture book.

"Look! It's Chicken's sofa!" a dark brown cow yells, pointing a hoof at an alluring red loveseat. The two cow sidekicks raise their forelegs in anticipation and, with a turn of the page, we see them in various stages, airborne and in the process of landing. "PLOP," say the giant cherry-red letters perfectly matched to the sofa. And that's even before we reach the title page. Chicken pops in from the right-hand margin, with only its red comb and beak and rolling wide eyes showing.

Chicken embodies the disapproving adult and the three cows the naughty children fully aware that they're breaking the rules. "JUMP! Up and down, up and down. Let's all JUMP up and down!" says one cow, "On Chicken's sofa!" adds the instigator dark brown cow. When Chicken says "There's no JUMPING on my sofa!" the cow buddies come up with other alternatives: dancing, for instance, and wiggling. Thomas perfectly captures the boundless energy of children both physically and mentally (when it comes to inventing creative ways to bend the rules). The author-artist arrives at a delicate balance: we never get the feeling that the cows are jumping, dancing and wiggling on the couch to spite Chicken--they just can't help themselves. Chicken (and adults) can rest easy when the final idea from the dark brown cow is a... NAP! Sensational. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness

Maile Meloy (Liars and Saints), in her first work for young people, sets her tale of spies and magic in an unassuming flat on St. George's Street in 1952 London, an area that hasn't seen chocolate bars for years. She sidles into a story that starts big and gets bigger until 14-year-old narrator Janie Scott and her new friend, Benjamin Burrows, find themselves at the heart of a fantastical Cold War battle.

Meloy's precise historical details anchor the book nicely, yet manage not to draw too much attention to themselves. The writing is clear and dramatic in all the right places, and her pacing is fantastic. For example, in one painful scene, a truth-telling herb forces Janie to admit that she fancies Benjamin, and he in turn admits that he likes rich and pretty Sarah Pennington, and the scene stretches out at just the right, mortifying pace (as do the repercussions of those revelations).

Aimed at middle-grade readers, the book will also appeal to teens, thanks to Meloy's unusual but well-considered choice to allow the adult voice of a grown Jane Scott to tell the story. And even though Janie serves as heroine, there's enough magic and action to charm many boys.

As the plot darkens, even reluctant readers will find it hard to pull away from the intrigue. A level of storytelling this high, with Schoenherr's fabulous illustrations as chapter openers, make this book a gem indeed. --Stephanie Anderson (aka Bookavore), manager of WORD bookstore