Berg, Elizabeth: The Year of Pleasures

Another book from Berg, and a thin one compared to her other ones that I've read. And it's a pretty low-key and straightforward book as well!

However, Berg still delivers her keen insights even in the lightness of this book. Here she tackles the bereavement of a widow, and how she finds the peace and pleasure her dead husband would like her to have. Her journey from grief to peace is a poignant and believable one, even the number of times the principal character falls back into sorrow then leaps into hope.

It's a believable warm book, and very suitable for summer reading. :)

Rating: ***out of 5

Berg, Elizabeth: What We Keep

Berg writes in quiet way about relationships and stuff like that (Picoult-esque, but less controversial). This particular book touches on the mother-daughter relationship between ones that have only seen each other ocassionally in the last 35 years. There is an element of mystery on why this meeting is taking place now - not a huge one, but interesting enough to keep one reading. The anticipation of the meeting and what happens next would keep you reading on as well.

As far as I've read into Berg, some of her stories are good, and some are just passable but still not a bad read. This was one of those passable ones - simple, but in such a way that it still touches the heart.

Rating: *** out of 5