Belong to Me

Belong to Me by Maris De Los Santos

What was this book about?

Neighborhood dynamics at their finest. Cornelia – moved from New York with her georgeous husband Teo. She has her secrets as to why they moved. She just doesn’t seem to be accepted here either though. Lake – a single mother with a genius for a child. Deve the boy who wants to find out who his family really is. Elizabeth – dieing of cancer, leaving behind a husband and children. Piper – the woman who looks like she is a hardened woman, but really cares more for her family and friends then anyone else.

They each find a place in each other’s lives. But that will affect their relationship with the outside world. Everyone has their secrets – but can they still be friends when these secrets are revealed?

What did you think about the book?

I have to admit it was a bit predictable. Did it take away from the story at all? Not completely. But from the beginning I knew who was going to get together, who was going to break up, who’s secrets would be found out and how they would be told.

Other then that though it was a very interesting neighborhood dynamic story. Not just divorce is covered but the pain of losing a child, losing a mother, losing a relationship, and gaining all those things as well. It is all about relationships and how they intertwine.

What genre would you consider this?
Family Dynamics

Overall:

When Will There Be Good News

When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson

What was this book about?

You start by meeting Joanna Mason. She is a small child with a simple life. Then tragedy strikes. She is forced to live with the violence that occurred to her as a small child for the rest of her life. She has to think about what she would have done differently if she could have.

Joanna has grown up and become a doctor – helping out those in need. She has a loving husband and a child of her own that she dotes on. She has a babysitter 16 year old Reggie who loves the child as if it is her own. What Joanna doesn’t realize is that Reggie’s life isn’t what it seems to be.

Meanwhile Jackson Brodie is trying to find what is missing in his life (is it a child, himself, what could it be). He is a victim of a freak train accident that brings him into all of their lives.

So many people with lives that seem to be on a specific path – when all of a sudden their paths merge and they must chose what happens next.

What did you think about the book?

For me this is the perfect book club book. Why? It is definitely interesting enough to keep you wanting to read, has a touch of mystery, a touch of learning about human insight, and just generally is an easy read. At the same time there is so much more then just the surface when thinking about this book.

Now it is a little dark and depressing. It isn’t a feel good book where finishing it makes you feel like the sun is shining and all is right in the world. But I don’t think that it takes away from the book – in fact I think it adds to it.

What genre would you consider this?
Fiction

Overall: