May 2009 - Book 14

Harvesting the heart by Jodi Picoult

When I read the book I did not realize that this was only Jodi's second book and that possibly it does not offer the same challenges as her later books do.

Paige is a young woman that was abandoned by her mother as a toddler. This remains the main issue in her life as she meets a young medical student, Nicholas and marries him. Pushing aside her own dreams and talents to become his wife, she trips into an emotional ditch with the birth of their little boy, Max. When it all becomes too much for her, she does exactly what her mother did - she abandons him in his dad's care.

A bit too much of a romance story for my taste, at least characters develop and at the end of the book you do have a bit more empathy than at the beginning, both for Paige and her mother.

A so- so Picoult ( she has many more that are way better) - a 5/10

July 2010 - Book no 21

Die wonderdade van Staal Burger deur Fanus Rautenbach
So ek mis iets hier - duidelik. Dalk is ek nie nostalgies genoeg oor ou radioverhale nie, maar dis net met totale deursettings vermoë dat ek hierdie boek klaar gelees het. Die skryftrant en taal is irriterend en die stories maar regtig oppervlakkig. Snaaks genoeg - die ander "nie-Staal" verhale in die boek was effens beter.

Lees slegs en alleenlik as jy na ou Springbokradio stories verlang.

Cat se punte: seker maar 5/10 - dit is oom Fanus