Now You See Him
By Gottlieb, Eli
"This nuanced, intelligent novel is told from the point of view of Nick, a man in his thirties facing a collapsing marriage, and life, as tragic events send him on a completely new road. Richly written, this thrilling novel's twists and revelations gloriously delve into the nature of truth, friendship, marriage, and out own perceptions of ourselves." -- Joe Eichman, Tattered Cover Bookstore, Denver, CO

The Monsters of Templeton
By Groff, Lauren
"Everyone loves monsters. The Monsters of Templeton is a refreshing and smart contemporary novel superimposed with snippets of historical fictions and a chorus of voices rising to tell their own stories. Lauren Groff's main character is resilient, intelligent and anything but self-deprecating. In her search for self-discovery, she can find comfort in obscurity. An inventive and ambitious story nestled in a town with its own Loch Ness monster." -- Cindy Dach, Changing Hands Bookstore, Inc., Tempe, AZ

Rock on: An Office Power Ballad
By Kennedy, Dan
"Ah, the glamorous life of a mid-level music executive: non-corner offices, awkward meetings between nerds and rock stars, and late night car service vouchers; not exactly the sex, drugs, and rock and roll you'd expect. Dan Kennedy tells all in his keenly observed, laugh out loud funny, insider's view of the music biz." -- Allsion Hill, Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena, CA

The Somnambulist
By Barnes, Jonathan
"Against the background of a grimy, post-Victorian London, this first novel hearkens to - and pokes fun at - the great detective stories of the past. At once both intellectual and grisly, this one is absolutely addicting." -- Michael Lyle, Market Street Books at Arts and Letters Community Center, Chapel Hill, NC

The Eye Of Jade
By Wei Liang, Diane
"Diane Wei Liang introduces readers to Mei Wang, the first female private investigator in modern Beijing. As she searches for a Han Dynasty jade believed to be looted from the Beijing Museum during the Cultural Revolution, Mei Wang unearths political and cultural intrigue as well as the complications of her own family's history. Here is a character mystery readers will want to get to know better, and the beginning of a great series." -- Kelly Wells, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT

The Thing About Life Is That One Day You'll Be Dead
By Shields, David
"David Shields gives us a virtuoso performance: a meditation on our inevitable end; a compendium of quotes, scientific facts, and jokes about death; a loving (but sometimes critical) tribute to both his 96-year-old father and 17-year-old daughter; and a recounting of his own life and the growing awareness of the (hopefully) slow, but inevitable decline of the body and the mind. Brilliant!"-- David Unowsky, Magers & Quinn Booksellers, Minneapolis, MN

The Boys In The Trees
By Swan, Mary
"This is an extraordinary work of interlinked stories centering on the tragic fate of an apparently devoted and loving family living at the turn of the century in a small town. We see the incidents through the eyes of the family, the town doctor and his sensitive son, a teacher, and other residents whose lives overlap in unexpected ways. The writing is beautiful, the story painful and haunting, yet lovely." -- Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL

Firefly Lane
By Hannah, Kristin
"Firefly Lane is a heart-breakingly wonderful story that tells of two women's friendship that spans 30 years. Hannah captures beautifully the complex relationship between mothers and daughters and best friends. This story will have you calling your best friend and you mother the second you get done reading it." -- Summer Moser, Summer's Stories, Kendallville, IN

The Opposite of Love
By Buxbaum, Julie
"Fans of Meg Cabot who are in the mood for something a little more substantial should be delighted by The Opposite of Love. When the narrator gets an inkling that her almost too perfect boyfriend is about to propose, she does the obvious: she dumps him. Faster than you can say "early midlife crisis," her life begins to unravel - and to take her into new directions that she never expected. Very entertaining!" -- Carol Schneck, Schuler Books, Okemos, MI

High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed
By Kodas, Michael
"All the aura and allure of Everest pales in this story of oxygen theft, untrained guides and the goal of summitting the world's highest peak. These stories are so very sad but not surprising in the world we currently live in. Well told with personal stories, as well as wonderful facts about mountaineering above 8000 km." -- Syrinda Sharpe, University Book Store, Seattle, WA

The Age of Shiva
By Suri, Manil
"Meera is a modern woman who is determined to take her life into her own hands, even if it means mean making one mistake after another. Manil Suri's places the young woman's life against the background of modern India -- with its combustible mixture of religion and politics. With this second novel, he displays an enormous versatility in style as well as subject." -- Carla Cohen, Politics & Prose Books & Coffee, Washington, DC

Gardens of Water
By Drew, Alan
"First time novelist Alan Drew has created a novel that takes you just outside of Istanbul where a massive earthquake hits changing the lives of a set of neighbors forever. The neighbors are an American Family living abroad as teachers and the other a conservative Muslim Family, lead by a man filled with Kurdish tradition and a longing to see his children raised in the same way. The earthquake brings circumstances that will bind the families together in ways none could have dreamed. The longing, the hope and the familial themes fill each page, Gardens of Water is simply breathtaking." -- Calvin Crosby, Books Inc., San Francisco, CA

Life Class
By Barker, Pat
"In this story, Pat Barker has captured it all: The sounds, smells and mystery of love and relationships during a time of newfound art and war in 1914. Her characters come alive with their passion and human behaviors - a wonderful read, by a noted author!" -- Kathleen Dixon, Islandtime Books & More, Washington Island, WI

The Invention of Everything Else
By Hunt, Samantha
"In The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt, an unlikely friendship develops between inventor Nikola Tesla and the curious maid, Louisa, who snoops in his hotel room. Through their relationship you get to know their quirks, sad pasts, and potentially magical futures. Full of vivid imagery, sounds, memories and dreams, this is a wonderful, sweet story of just how normal it is to be different." -- Sarah Farnsworth, Briggs Carriage Bookstore, Brandon, VT

The Reserve
By Banks, Russell
"Another good book by the esteemed author of so many fine novels. Over the course of one summer month during 1936 in the Adirondacks, lives unravel and secrets are revealed in unexpected ways. Combining suspense and drama, Banks is in top form as he explores themes of old money, the working class, loyalty, love and honor. Finally, he illustrates how tenuous all our societal and familial roles truly are." -- Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books, Wichita, KS

Ice Trap
By Sewell, Kitty
"Meet Dafydd Woodruff, a successful doctor in Wales. Dafydd's life is going along quite well until he receives a letter from a 13 year old girl from northern Canada who claims to be his daughter. Years ago he was a doctor in a small town there. What to do - Dafydd returns to the town to try and discover the truth. The twist and turns and final outcome will keep you reading this suspenseful first novel well into the night." -- Sue Richardson, Maine Coast Book Shop, Inc., Damariscotta, ME

L.A. Outlaws
By Parker, T. Jefferson
"I just spent an entirely enjoyable weekend reading T. Jefferson Parker's newest book, L.A. Outlaws. He has such a mix of interesting, unusual and totally believable characters. A thief descended from a famous outlaw, and a cop trying to decide if he can be a police officer, and bad guys galore roam Los Angeles in fabulous cars, frequently stolen. All with a subtext of what is "right" or "wrong," and if whatever that is is illegal as well, should one continue doing it?" -- Lise Friedman, Dutton's Brentwood Books, Los Angeles, CA

Song Yet Sung
By McBride, James
"Escaped Slaves, Slave Catchers, murder- a glimpse into Maryland in the 1860's. I enjoyed the very realistic picture of the past this novel portrays, together with a dream of the future." -- Barbara Rodean, A Likely Story, Sykesville, MD

Hope's Boy
By Bridge, Andrew
"I like it! I found the characters compelling...the book was reminiscent of Angela's Ashes. I'd recommend it to all social workers." -- Joyce Frohn, Apple Blossom Books, Oshkosh, WI

Sharp Teeth
By Barlow, Toby
"It's a dog eat dog world in Toby Barlow's spellbinding debut novel set in L.A.. There is a war going on that involves an ancient race of werewolves, crystel meth labs, and an elderly woman living in the suburbs. There is also an inner story of romance between a werewolf and a local dogcatcher. All of this intertwines with a Mexican dog-fighting crew looking to exact revenge on the people responsible for the death of their leader. Told in verse, this is a howling tale of power, love and belonging in L.A.. This is an enormously enjoyable and eccentric tale!" -- Susan Schlesinger, Brown University Bookstore, Providence, RI