September books

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Enders - Lissa Price
This is the sequel to Starters, which I really enjoyed. This has similar enjoyable components and surprises, but something about the setting was a little dull. There wasn't the same emphasis on the relationships and a lot of things just kind of get pushed aside for convenience. The resolution wasn't all that satisfying, and it didn't make a lot of sense, either. But you still might want to read this to find out what happens after the first book (which I definitely recommend).



Once Upon a Time, There Was You - Elizabeth Berg
I just realized the title of this since I guess I didn't pay attention. So corny and generic! Anyway, this is about a divorced couple and their 18-year-old daughter, and how their lives are impacted by a traumatic experience she has. I don't think I've read this author before, but she's very good. Almost too good--I felt the emotions of the characters so well that my mood was impacted on a regular basis. I felt frustration, fear and urgency, and would sometimes wonder why I was feeling troubled only to remember it started when I was listening to a scene in the book. :P I suppose the reader should be commended, as well--she really grasped the mood of the book in her voice acting. The story switches perspectives from the husband, wife and daughter, but it transitions smoothly. There are a lot of insights and truths discussed, and it got me thinking about life and how I handle some circumstances. Well done, but I'm not sure I want to read this author again only because my mood is so easily influenced, and much of this book had a gray/lonely feeling to it.

Home safe - Elizabeth Berg
Well, I immediately went against what I said because I read some reviews and it seemed that maybe Once Upon... was not her best. Berg has so many books that it was convenient to download another, but now I feel more sure that I should probably just avoid her books for this phase of my life. In Home Safe, Helen--a writer and mother of an adult daughter--is a fairly new widow and feeling clueless about keeping up with bills and home repairs. One thing she feels confident about, though, is the almost-million-dollar nest egg that her husband had set aside for their retirement. But things change when she discovers $850,000 of it has been withdrawn. This book was well-written, but again had that dreary fog over it like the last one. It's too real, I guess, and I started dwelling on the idea of a husband dying and other things I don't need to worry about at this point. Also, the daughter in the book is a brat, which always annoys me. I saw that her mom was a little annoying, but I hate it when grown children talk down to their moms like that. I am guessing the author put a lot of herself into Helen's character, and it was really interesting to read some behind-the-scenes info about being a published author. Also, Elizabeth Berg actually read the book and did a great job!

Overall, not the best reading month. I listened to a lot of radio between books and was struggling to find decent ones.

September books: 3
2014 books: 31