Sept & Oct Reading List

I'm reading 24 books this year. See my book list reviews here.

Sadie's Song by Linda Hall

I really had no idea what this book was about when I started reading it. The back of the book made it sound like a mystery but that's not really what it was about. This book dealt with abuse, specifically domestic abuse in a Christian household. Sadie's husband, who is an elder at church, both verbally and physically abuses her. 

There are side stories about the effect the abuse has on her children and there is a mystery about a missing girl stuck in there as well. However these stories are very artfully mixed in there so it doesn't seem disconnected.

The book is written from Sadie's point of view which I think is brilliant. As a reader you really get inside the head of an abused woman. You see her struggle with believing her husband loves her and being upset with him beating her. You feel her transformation as she starts to realize that this is not what love is supposed to be.

This is not a feel good read but it was still an excellent book. It definitely gave me greater insight into the mind of a domestic violence victim. I highly recommend it.

Where the River Ends by Charles Martin

Abby is dying. After fighting cancer for 4 years, Doss, her husband, must accept that the cancer has won. But before it does, he is determined to float his wife down the river, crossing items off her bucket lost along the way.

I've read a lot of Charles martin's books and feel that this book was good but not his best. The hero seems a little too well versed in everything - outdoors man who can survive on a river with a sick wife even during a hurricane, an artist who paints beautiful portraits and a completely devoted husband.

It's a good book, don't get me wrong, just not wonderful. Oh and if you are going to read it, keep some tissues close by. Any book about dying is bound to be sad in the end.

Sickness really puts a wrench in all plans, including plans to read books in Nov and Dec. So this will be the last post in this year's reading list. I haven't decided if I'm going to do this next year or not. It was very stressful to me to keep up with my reading, at least with the books on this list. (I did read all these other books to, though.) I'm all about lessening stress, so this idea may have to go into the "save my sanity" box.