One for the Blackbird One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker

This is a  story of just how strong the human will to survive is.  Ms. Hawker dies not romanticize the American West in this story. The book opens with a murder of a neighbor and goes on to tell the story of how that one act affects two families who are bound together by it. Winter on the plains is harsh and both families must find a way to survive  the coming season while working through their own griefs and prejudices. Neither family is guiltless in this telling. The Bemis's because they start the tragedy nor the Webbers  because the matriarch cannot release the secrets that she carries deep inside her. The author is able to tell all of the stories that are both hidden and open in each of the characters in her story. I especially liked how she was able to do this. When I finished this book I wasn't sure how to categorize it. Was it a tale of human resilience over the elements? Was it a tale of buried secrets ? Some so deep that they threatened to destroy the life of the person that held on to them so tightly ? Or was it a love story ? I came to realize that this is a love on every level.. A story of t he love between the husband and wife of both families, and the children of each family. The author tells their stories without prejudice and the reader is lead to discover how it started and how it all  turned out. I really liked this book and will look for more from this author

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates

I will never look at the Underground Railroad the same way again. Mr Coates brought it to life in a way that other authors have not. The prose is lyrical and pulls you in . It makes the Underground Railroad real in a way that we should all care about.
I felt the author created characters and situation that felt real and, more importantly deliverable.This book made me think about what the railroad was and the role that Harriet Tubman, and others, played in the creation and execution of it. This is a topic that I wished the schools has taught more about when I was in school. Mr. Coates taught me something and changed the way I though about that period in our history. In the end this is a what a good book should do. I encourage everyone to read it. It is a great book !