Winter's Bone

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Winter's Bone
224 pages; Back Bay Books
The Premise: In this literary page-turner, Ree Dolly's meth-cooking dad has skipped bail. If he doesn't show up for his next court date, then 16-year-old Ree, her two younger brothers and her mentally ill mother will lose their house. The search to find him involves poking into secrets that dangerous, neighboring families in the Ozarks would rather keep hidden.  

Why the Ending Is a Stunner: Woodrell simultaneously resolves this heart-pounding—and heart-breaking—story and leaves you wondering what will happen next. But the real hook? Ree's acts of courage that leave you astounded by what a young girl will risk to save her family.
— Dawn Raffel