In this stack I really liked Defending Jacob and The Homecoming of Samuel Lake
Defending Jacob was the story of a Middle School boy who is accused of murdering one of his classmates. His father is a DA in the town and originally heads the investigation. The book follows them all the way through the end of the trial and the beginning of a second one...the surprise ending was both disturbing and good. It was definitely a can't put it down book.
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake is a well written story set in rural Arkansas of the 50's. The book follows the Lake family, both adults and children, as they work through the obstacles in their lives. It reminded me of a dark version of Huck Finn or To Kill a Mockingbird. Jenny Wingfield has written amazing characters...ones you would adopt in a heartbeat, ones you'd love to sit on the porch having a beer with, and one you'd love to personally run over repeatedly with a large vehicle. It was one of those books you wish had a sequel because you just aren't ready to say goodbye to the people in it. There is a fair amount of pretty graphic abuse...spouse, animal, and child...it's disturbing but it's a big part of what makes the reader so emotionally entrenched in the book. This book would make a great movie.
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