Eva and her professor father move from Chicago to Communist Poland to help support the underground movement there.  When Eva first arrives, she is horrified by the living conditions and can’t wait to get home.  But gradually, she gets to know the Polish students who are fighting for freedom, and decides to stay and fight.

Lauren is the only child of her wealthy, successful parents.  As she tries to assert her independence, Lauren takes a job transcribing an old diary, written during the Salem witch trials.  The diary belongs to Abigail, an elderly woman with secrets of her own.  As Lauren works her way through the diary, she discovers who she really is, and helps Abigail make peace with the past.

When Bethany’s parents suddenly drop her off at her aunt’s house and leave, Bethany must uncover their secret if she want to reunite her family.  Definitely not one of Haddix’s best.

A fantastic story that completely satisfied my love of pioneer fiction.  This is a novel, inspired by Turner’s family memoirs, full of romance and humor, tragedy and violence.  Sarah is a strong heroine who struggles to carve a life for herself and her family in the Arizona Territories.  The story is told entirely through Sarah’s journal, and through her writing, we see her grow from a young, impulsive teenager to a loving wife and mother.  One of my favorite passages:

Children are a burden to a mother, but not the way a heavy box is to a mule.  Our children weigh hard on my heart, and thinking about them growing up honest and healthy, or just living to grow up at all, makes a load in my chest that is bigger than the safe at the bank, and more valuable to me than all the gold inside it.

I just discovered 2 sequels and can’t wait to read them!

A fast-paced, suspenseful story.  Narrated by Doug, a “troubled” teen who builds model trains in his basement, and hangs out with his best friend Andy.  This is a very dark book but once you start reading, you won’t be able to put it down.   Hautman’s writing style is similar to that of Will Weaver’s.

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