Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell

This is the story of Ree, a young teenager, in the Ozarks where family feeling is intense – and you’re either with them or against them.  Her father cooks crank and is on the run, her mother has lost her mind, and Ree takes care of two younger brothers and keeps the household going. She feels this responsibility strongly, and is making sure that the boys can take care of themselves and their mother after she enlists in the Army. One day she’s hit with the news that her father has put up the house as bond for a court appearance, and if he can’t be found they will forfeit the house. How she goes about making sure they don’t lose the house is a gruesome story