What if the laws of nature resulted in imprisonment at the hands of political tyrants? Abaddon Ordell is a teacher, fighter, sister, and wife turned prisoner. In the wake of a devastating miscarriage-a crime in this era-Abaddon is cruelly handed over to the law and condemned to nine years in the brutal Dream Stone prison.  Hemmed in by aggressive inmates, guards steeped in misogyny, and a warden whose sympathy is nothing but a sham, she grapples with her consuming grief and a deep rage over the oppressive forces that placed her in prison to begin with. Just when all seems lost, an unexpected female ally offers her the strength and love she needs to endure this darkness, but trusting her could be the best thing for her heart, or the deadliest. As the dangers of Dream Stone escalate, Abaddon plots to assassinate those at the heart of the oppressive regime. If Abaddon survives Dream Stone, she becomes proof the system can be broken. But if she fails, she'll never have the chance to dismantle the regime that put her there.

Upward Bound is not a place anyone dreams of spending their days. The dreary adult daycare center for Los Angeles’s disabled community is, for many of its clients and staff, a place of last resort. This includes Carlos, a young aide who lost his mother as a boy and now works there alongside his beloved sister, Mariana; Jorge, the gentle nonspeaking giant whom Carlos seeks to befriend (and prevent from escaping); Tom, a beautiful young man with cerebral palsy who pines for Ann, the summer lifeguard at the center’s pool who feels out of her depth. Then there’s Dave, Upward Bound’s director, who came to L.A. to pursue an acting career but now channels his passion into staging an overly ambitious holiday show starring the center’s irrepressible clients. Framing these intertwined narratives—and connecting them in surprising, shattering ways—is the riveting and sometimes ironic testimony of Walter, a recent community college graduate who, after a family tragedy, must return to the company of his disabled peers. In Upward Bound, Woody Brown has created an indelible, authentic, and profoundly moving group portrait of autism and other disabilities, all illuminated by his empathy, sly sense of humor, and enormous gifts as a novelist. With remarkable sophistication, insight, and creativity, Brown depicts a community too-often invisible in literature and society. Filled with characters you won’t soon forget, Upward Bound will inspire and touch you, teaching you as much about yourself as the tender, miraculous world behind the center’s doors.

A Most Anticipated Novel of 2026 by Time, Town & Country, Bustle, and Zibby Media • February Book Club Pick by Good Housekeeping "Grant Ginder has written The Big Chill of our times...and possibly done an even better job. So Old, So Young is a triumph. I will never forget these characters." —Elin Hilderbrand "So Old, So Young is a story of romantic love, professional jealousy, misplaced longing, and—above all—the gift of lifelong friendship. You will laugh on every page, except for when you find yourself moved to tears." —Jenny Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Pineapple Street Six Friends. Five Parties. Twenty Years... How did we get So Old, So Young?From Grant Ginder, the bestselling author of The People We Hate at the Wedding, comes a generation-defining novel that is part love...