Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

I have enjoyed reading all of Jodi Picoult's books and this one did not disappoint me.  The story revolves around Luke Warren, a man who has studied wolves his entire life.  In fact he lived with them in the deep forests of Canada, becoming part of the wolf pack, hunting, eating, and playing with the wolves.  He learned what their gestures to each other meant and the order of the pack.  When he finally returned to his wife,  son, and daughter two years later he really was a changed man.  His family suffered during his absence.   His son Edward now eighteen suddenly left home and shortly thereafter Luke and his wife divorced.  Cara, their eleven year old daughter initially lived with her mom, but after her mother remarried and had a set of twins, she left to live with Luke.    Cara takes after her father in her love of the wolves that he raises and protects.  She understands his love of each wolf and what each member means to the pack.   Late one night, Luke and Cara become involved in a terrible automobile accident.  Cara will recover in time but Luke's fate is not certain.  What happens when the prodigal son returns and decisions need to be made regarding their father's future?   Edward and Cara will have to learn to understand how important each of them is in regards to their family and work together to come to a decision.

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

Tracy Chevalier's book "Remarkable Creatures" reminds me of the many times I've spent on the shores of Lake Michigan searching for crinoids and colored glass.  "Remarkable Creatures" is the story of a young girl Mary Anning who, when just a baby is struck by lightening thus giving her what many people believe to be a special gift.  Mary has a special "gift" for locating fossils buried deep in the cliffs and on the beaches near her home in Lima, England.  She helps supports her family by finding and selling these fossils.  She meets a young woman named Elizabeth Phipot who shares her desire to roam the cliffs and beaches and search for fossils as well.  What Mary discovers however, is more than just fossils and leads these two women to a lifetime of friendship, scurtiny, and discovery. 

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

In 1875, Ann Eliza Young, wife of Brigham Young, leaves her husband and begins a crusade to end poligamy. Brigham Young, leader of the Morman Church, had 55 wives. The reader learns how the plural wives lived and worked and in some cases how they truly felt about their situation.

In present day Utah, Jordan Scott is thrown out of his fundamentalist sect at the age of 14 and is forced to learn how to care for himself. His mother, a devout follower of the sect, dropped him off on a highway and wished him good luck. Years later, Jordan discovers his mother is in prison for murdering his father. He reluctantly returns to his past to find the truth.
The 19th wife is a fascinating read. This is historical fiction at its best.