The Snow Child, by Eowyn Ivey

Great story! Set in Alaska in the 1920s. I really enjoyed the interplay of relationships in the book, the coming-to-acceptance of unlikely events. I'm still not sure what to make of the little girl, but the story was delightfully told.

Unwanted, by Kristina Ohlsson

Very good, although I totally had the key to the puzzle figured out about 100 pages in. Still, watching the police team work through a very complex investigation of the kidnapping and subsequent death of a child followed by more mayhem and horror was fun. Plus, Sweden! And a cameo appearance of an American profiler of serial killers, whose description is worth the price of the book even if he's only around for about 6 pages.

Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay

Wow! The horrifying hook in this book about the Holocaust is that is tells the story from the point of view of a ten-year-old Parisian girl named Sarah rounded up with her parents by the French police in 1942. Because she doesn't know what is going on around her, she locks her little brother in a hidden cupboard in their house, sure that she'll be back in just a few hours to let him out.

Of course, she isn't back in just a few hours, or days, or weeks.

This story is interspersed in the story of Julia, an American researching this event for a French magazine as she navigates the pitfalls of her marriage and family. That part was far less interesting to me.  I did end up feeling a little gypped in the end because I wanted to hear more about Sarah's life and less about Julia's. In the end, my outlook on the French didn't exactly improve.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

Very interesting book, about WWII orphans on an island off Wales, except they really aren't exactly as the grandson of one learns when he returns to investigate his grandfather's stories after his death. Turns out there is time travel involved, and these children are definitely peculiar in some very interesting ways. Plus, there are period photographs gleaned from collections the author has had access to. Quite an interesting book. I hope Riggs writes more.

Below Zero, C.J. Box (on CD)

I really like Joe Pickett. This is about a teenage girl, his former foster-daughter, whom was presumed dead in a horrible accident 6 years ago. At least, until she--or someone claiming to be her--starts texting one of his daughters. While the main plot is quite far-fetched (no mob hit-man is this much of a sucker, really, is he??), once you buy in it's quite a ride. Great book. Not a huge fan of the guy doing the reading though.

The Wilder Life, by Wendy McClure

The author was as much of a Laura fan as a child as I, but she says she grew out of it, only to rediscover the books soon after the death of her mother. She and her husband make the rounds of all the extant Laura houses on a journey to rediscover the 1880s and her childhood. Good book, a bit 'skimmy' but fun for Little House die-hards like me.

Winter's Child, by Margaret Maron (on CD)

I think one of the main reasons I like listening to this series is the reader (C.J. Critt). She may not get the accents or voices right, but she certainly nails the tone.

This one is about the death of Dwight's first wife.

Jane, by April Lindner

When I cataloged this, I knew I had to read it: it's a modern retelling of Jane Eyre. In spite of having reservations towards the beginning of it, by the middle of the book I was firmly pulled in, trying to figure out how Lindner was going to work the original plot out.

Now I need to go find my copy of JE and reread it....

Four Feet, Two Sandals, written by Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed ;illustrated by Doug Chayka

The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise, by Julia Stuart

Three Stations, by Martin Cruz Smith

Russia is sad. Sad sad sad.

Asta in the Wings, by Jan Elizabeth Watson

One of the better portrayals of children I've read in awhile. Asta and Orion and "isolates" discovered living with their mother in Maine. Their mother is clearly unstable, but not necessarily a Bad Mother, just not 100% capable of properly caring for her children. What happens when the family is split into three parts is fascinating.

U is for Undertow, by Sue Grafton

Another of the series, which is now up to 1988. This one is about a murder that took place in 1967, so it's REALLY confusing to have two historical periods to keep track of, plus Grafton tells this story from four different points of view. It's mildly confusing, but she did a very good job differentiating all the people, both by description and by name, so it wasn't horrible to follow. More difficult was the story itself; some really unpleasant scenes in the book which have nothing to do with murder but are icky in the extreme.

I loved her detailed description of the Polk and Haines directories. I forget that 90% of the general population doesn't have a clue, but they are such basic tools to me that it was a bit odd to read two LONG paragraphs explaining how they work.

Good book.

Making Mischief : A Maurice Sendak Appreciation, by Gregory Maguire

A lovely book of reproductions of Sendak's artwork arranged by topic and by which artists and artworks influenced him. Nice.

The Gates, by John Connolly

These gates are those that surround Hell. The big Hell, where Satan and his minions reside. And science manages to break a hole through. Funny book. May have to find more by this author!

The Wild Things, by Dave Eggers

Pretty good reinterpretation of the classic picture book. Not overly heavy-handed, and not my reading of it, but interesting. Eggers certainly can catch the way a young boy sees the world very well.

Girl Sleuth : Nancy Drew and the Women who Created Her, by Melanie Rehak

The Game of Thirty, by William Kotzwinkle

A hard-boiled PI takes on a murder case the police haven't been able to resolve for the victim's daughter. Her dad was killed, and then eviscerated, in his living room. He was a dealer in ancient artifacts, as is his daughter, and was involved in some shady trades one of which involves child prostitution. However, the main story was a little too obvious to me. Still, very interesting. The game of thirty interests me. And the ending was rather fairy-tale happy, in a good way.

Gone, by Lisa Gardner (on CD)

Very good, but COLD!

Blind Bloodhound Justice, by Virgnia Lanier

I actually enjoy these books, which (I think) are published only in paperback. They are several notches above many hardbound mysteries coming out these days.

In this one, Jo Beth is asked to look into a 30-year-old child kidnapping and murder. The man who was sentenced for the crime has been released from prison on medical grounds and moved back to the area; he has mainained his innocence obstinately for 30 years.

Of course she figures out the knot at the center of this puzzle while at the same time running a training week for several K9 officers and running a couple of rescue operations of her own, one of which involves a carjacking and a crazy swamp woman.

The book ends, very weakly, with her ex-husband's latest attempt at torturing her to death where she nearly dies in a swamp.

Aside from that, the book was satisfying. I may have to just go on and read the rest of these.