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Debi Orton:

Daemon by Daniel Suarez
If you're geek like me, you probably cringe every time you time you come across technology in a novel. It's rare when somebody gets it right, and better yet, makes it plausible. Saurez's Daemon is still a stretch, but could be just around the corner, if Moore's law has anything to say about it. This is an engrossing novel, one of those "who needs sleep?" kind of books that you read until your eyes can no longer focus.

A Vision for 2012: Planning for Extraordinary Change by John L. Petersen
Despite your opinion on the potential for an apocalypse on December 21, 2012, and notwithstanding Petersen's explanations of the logic behind the significance of 2012, this slim book (which was written and published in May 2008, long before most of us knew there was something serious wrong with our financial sector) was a revelation for me in its common-sense explanation of our present fiscal crisis. There are several other startling ideas offered for your thinking pleasure. Petersen is also the founder of the Arlington Institute, a nonprofit future-oriented think tank, and the editor of the e-newsletter FUTUREdition.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Widescreen)
Okay, I'll admit it — I'm a fangirl. I love superhero comics, and when the first Hellboy movie came out, I thoroughly enjoyed it. So I immediately signed up for the sequel, and to use a cliche, the sequel in this case is better than the original. Hellboy's adversary in this movie is a fairy prince, Nuada, who is not so much a villian, but a man of belief. His appeals to Hellboy to ally with the other supernatural creatures against humanity are reinforced by humanity's rejection of Hellboy and his compatriots, and there's a lot to think about regarding how we choose with whom we identify. Another really neat feature of this DVD is its descriptive video service — making the movie accessible to those with vision impairments.

Luck's Changing Lanes by Rusty Truck
Every once in a while I find myself attracted to music in the classic country tradition, and once I heard "Cold Ground," used behind the closing credits of an episode of HBO's True Blood, I drove myself crazy trying to figure out who the artist was. To my mind, there are a couple of throw-aways on the album, but there are also some very interesting videos from some of the songs, and some impressive guest artists on the record.

Didi Wood:

Human Croquet: A Novel by Kate Atkinson
Why, oh why did it take me so long to discover Kate Atkinson? This novel defies description; unexplained disappearances, fairy curses, time travel, and dysfunction with a capital F-U-N mingle in a story centering on sixteen-year-old Isobel Fairfax, an engaging narrator who, one begins to suspect, knows more than she realizes about the mysteries surrounding her. Atkinson's incisive and whimsical prose is a delight to read.

In the Woods by Tana French
The cover of this taut psychological thriller caught my eye, but mixed reviews delayed my reading of it. I'm glad I finally picked it up, because it turned out to be one of the most riveting books I've read in a long time, with complex characters who haunted me long after I finished.

I'm always looking for good juvenile novels for my children, and recently we discovered some worthy of mention: The Remarkable & Very True Story of Lucy & Snowcap by H.M. Bouwman and A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama by Laura Amy Schlitz. Both feature strong female protagonists and stories of mystery, betrayal, and personal growth. Also worthy of mention is Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book , which won the 2009 Newbery Medal. I have not yet read it, but both my boys tell me it's fantastic. It's on my pile.

Vanitha Sankaran:

I read voraciously and I'm always thrilled when someone's work stands out among the masses. For those of you who are interested in a wry look at India's service class, I can't recommend The White Tiger: A Novel (Man Booker Prize) by Aravind Adiga enough. It's a tongue-in-cheek commentary that is simply fascinating.

Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen is another fantastic read. I didn't think I would like it to be honest; although I read a lot of bestsellers to keep up with trends in what sells, I don't often like much of what's on the bestseller lists. This book is a notable exception. These I heart and a real honesty to this work and these characters. I truly did laugh. I truly did cry.

In anticipation of Watchmen , the movie, I reread the original graphic novel by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins. Yes, I am a bit of a nerd and this is certainly dating me because it was one of my favorites when it first came out. But I love the way the novel deals with gritty, hardcore issues within a format that is usually reserved for lighter, moralistic archetypes. There is a lot of nuance in this work, repeated themes, symbols and a certain trust of the audience's intelligence that good writers all hope to achieve.