Cara Sue Achterberg

I often say that I'd like to read about the everyday lives of well-developed characters simply because people are interesting and the way that they interact with the world is intriguing. This book brought me that in a satisfying way, though it had a distinct plot as well.
 
While reading this book, I truly got to know Kate and her daughter Jenna. I came to understand Everett and the way that he thought. And I came to appreciate and adore JT with his Asperger's and his unique way of viewing the world. The family itself is very insular, but I got to know secondary characters too through the ways that they interacted with the family.
 
Jenna was my favourite character--she has a tendency to break into houses and came to know many of her neighbours in that fashion. She's also quite intelligent and aware of what's going on. I loved the way she was vulnerable as she started exploring romance despite the cynicism of her grandmother.
 
And her grandmother, wow, she definitely kept things moving and provided a source of much of the conflict within this book. Her character also raised important questions of depression and the way we treat the elderly that I found to be quite poignant.
 
The plot wasn't quite interesting--if I described it to you, I'm not sure that it would persuade you to read this. In theory, it focused on a mystery of birth, and in Kate's sister trying to find their long-gone father. But instead, the strength of this book came from more of an exploration of characters as they navigated certain situations.
 
Nonetheless, this book was quite enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to more from Achterberg.
 
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.… (mehr)

This is the story of a 17-year-old American girl charged with negligent criminal homicide...aggravated by reading a text message on her phone while driving. Which triggered a collision in the bend, fatally ramming his gymnastics coach—the very one who was the adoration of the whole town!—

The prison sentence hovers over his head, and until the last fifty pages, one is hanging on the verdict!

But I didn't really get hooked on this book because of the countless dialogues without much interest, which dilute the real meaning of this tragedy, by fleshing out the existence of a carefree teenager.… (mehr)

Practicing Normal by Cara Sue Achterberg
This story starts out with each member of the family, and friends who get a chapter to tell you what's going on in their world.
A set of adult parents with a 16 year old daughter, son who's got Asperger’s disease and a grandmother living in her own house.
Love that the different age groups are given their own space. Problems they are each going through are difficult and sometimes overwhelming but they push onward.
Sad at the end and didn't see the reunion taking place. Love how their author gets me to tear up reading her works.
Can't wait to read more.
Received this review copy from the publisher The Story Plant and this is my honest opinion.… (mehr)

I'm Not Her by Cara Sue Achterberg
Starts with dedication page to the author's mother and a quote from a Bob Dylan song, meaningful.
A clerk at the store and a customer at the low cost store collide when the sign crashes.
The women have now exchanged places with one another. Leann was the clerk at the store, with a son and a man that comes to visit for the weekends, obosely overweight..
Alternating chapters where each tells what's going on in their world with a different body and lifestyle.
Carin is an inusrance agent and goes to the gym and has a good outlook.
Carin has to take on the role of Leann and learns the real Leann had been stealing grocieies. She tries to get closer to the child and heads to the gym where she gets a job taking care of kids of parents that are exercising.
I do love that Carin tries to take care of the child and is getting her body in shape. Things that only she can control and it's not even her real life.
the fake Leann just stays at home, orders food in and watch soap operas all day. She also is getting money from the accidnet, enough to last her a lifetime.
Twists and turns as the days go by. Never expected what happens next but it's huge.
Love how each of the woemn just get onto life in their new bodies and it makes them both better people.
Story takes me places out of my comfort zone, great read!
Acknowledgements and about the author finish this book.
Received this review copy from the publisher The Story Plan and this is my honest opinion.… (mehr)