This was the first e-book I borrowed from the library. I haven’t tried it before, because I always just went to the library. But at some point soon, the library I go to is closing for renovations. I wanted to make sure I had a back up plan, besides ordering ahead and picking it up.
Except when my eyes were tired, it definitely is a great alternative.
Book Read: The Cactus
Author: Sarah Haywood
2020 Book Count: 5
Susan Green is suddenly at a crossroads. She has always avoided emotions, especially the messy ones. But when her mother passes away, Susan, at forty five, is unexpectedly about to become a mother herself. Her everything-is-in-order life is turning into chaos.
Her mother also left a will, leaving the house to Susan’s brother for as long as he wants to stay. Susan, and her brother, expected it to be split evenly right away, not when her brother decides to move out. Susan is beside herself. Since she studied law, she begins to build a case against her own brother, with whom she has never gotten along.
Enter Rob, her brother’s closest friend, who finds himself playing the middleman. As Susan’s due date approaches, she finds herself warming up to Rob, and his help. Susan starts to see that if she loosens her grip, things might just turn out okay.
Add in a surprise friendship with a neighbor, a life long secret revealed, and, of course, some cacti, and you’ve got The Cactus.
This book was odd, yet good. I’m not sure how to describe it. At times, it was hard to read Susan’s narrative. It was, at times, long and drawn out, but I’m guessing it was designed that way. Some times, I appreciated it since it provided a lot of background, but other times it gave too much background.
Susan is quirky. I liked her (most of the time). Rather than announce her pregnancy right off, she would describe what was happening to her, and let you speculate. Then chapters later, Susan makes a comment about how she assumes “you,” the reader, have figured it out. It was different, yet it worked well for this book.
Overall, The Cactus is a story about letting people in, opening up, and realizing control isn’t everything. It’ll pass the time if you are looking for a quirky, sometimes difficult read.
Next Read: The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
