Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

I really can't say enough about this novel.  I picked it up after hearing its premise:  

When a father goes missing, his family’s desperate search leads them to question everything they know about him and one another in this thrilling page-turner, a deeply moving portrait of a family in crisis.

I'm thinking of a page-turner, a quick read, and a family portrait. It's so much more! And I learned so much! 

This book is an "exploration of neurodiversity and its effects on family dynamics with a mystery."  Eugene, the younger brother of the twin older siblings, "is autistic, nonverbal and has a rare genetic condition called Angelman syndrome."

There is so much to learn in this book, and it gives you a lot to think about, too. I highly recommend it! 

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

Synopsis:  from NYTimes:

It is 1962 and a Mi’kmaw family crosses from Nova Scotia into Maine to harvest berries as migrant workers. Once they arrive, everything falls into a summer rhythm, but one afternoon, the family’s youngest, 4-year-old Ruthie, disappears. Her brother Joe is the last to see her, which will haunt him for the rest of his life. 

I enjoyed this book, but would have liked more about the Native people.  Sometimes I felt like the author was trying to include "too much." (Dementia, mental illness,  infertility, etc.)  But overall, I did like the book and it kept me interested.