The Snow Child

Eowyn Ivey has written a novel, The Snow Child, that is sure to be a gem for many readers.  This is based loosely on the children's novel, The Snow Child, by Freya Littledale.  And maybe that's what caught me - I loved it that it was based on a child's fairytale and yet turned itself into a novel that had me riveted from very early on.  I was drawn right into the story of Jack and Mabel and their life on the Alaskan frontier.  I felt for them when they lost their first child, and I was so excited for them when they had a little girl show up on their property - it just seemed perfect.  However, the story takes quite a twist when their little Faina grows up.  It was pure fabulousness on the part of Ivey to take the story in the direction she did - she follows the premise of the fairytale, but takes you in a round-about way.  I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

Blackberry Winter

I finished another of Sarah Jio’s books – Blackberry Winter. Jio is a writer that gives you a fabulous story from page one! You are drawn in immediately – and she takes you full circle until you hit the last page and are left wondering if you really wanted it to end! This novel is one of my favorites of hers so far – it ties in the stories of two women – Vera Ray, who lived in Seattle in 1933, and Claire Aldridge, also a mom that lives in Seattle during present day. The moving story shows the loss of children and the impact it had on these two women’s lives. Their stories are profoundly different and yet SO much alike. It is well told – the characters are real and become people you care about as you read. Jio has done it again – another enthralling read!